STARNBERG, July 7, 2020
Organizers of the Zavarovalnica Sava Slovenia Open announced on Tuesday that the 2020 edition of the ATP Challenger in Portoroz has been cancelled. The tournament was scheduled for August 17 to 24.
“National rules in Slovenia do not allow the organization of an ATP Challenger event,” the marketing director of Tenis Slovenija told Tennis TourTalk in an e-mail.
The scenic Adriatic seaside resort town of Portoroz, located in the Municipality of Piran in southwestern Slovenia, has celebrated Challenger tennis since 2013 when home hope Grega Zemlja triumphed. Since then, two more Slovenians have hoisted the trophy, with Blaz Kavcic following in 2014 and Aljaz Bedene in 2019. The traditional hard-court event with a total prize money of €48,000 is held at the Sports-Recreational center Marina Portoroz at Tennis club Portoroz.
“The current situation does not allow the safe organization of such a large tournament,” tournament director Aljaz Kos stated in a press release. “Measures imposed by the Government of the Republic of Slovenia must be respected. The health of the competitors, organizers and all other participants comes first. Unfortunately, the new coronavirus has won this year. The financial risk is too high, as the situation is unclear. A lot can still change in the next month.”
Kos added that the focus will now be on the organization of the tournament’s 2021 edition.
