Due to COVID-19 limitations in the nation, the Shanghai Masters and three other men’s tournaments in China won’t take place this year, the ATP Tour announced on Thursday.
Due to COVID regulations, ATP cancels events in China in 2022
The Winter Olympics were held in China in February under rigorous health regulations. But practically all other global sporting events there this year have been delayed or cancelled.
Last month, Andrea Gaudenzi, the chairman of the ATP, told Reuters that the chances of the 2022 China swing were slim.
Because the pandemic began in December 2019, mainland China had recorded 228,180 confirmed cases of COVID-19 with symptoms as of July 20.
Despite the low number compared to other countries, China’s government is adhering to a strict zero-COVID policy. While other nations have laxed their regulations and decided to live with the virus.
Recent tennis tournaments like the French Open and Wimbledon were staged without any health limitations. And it’s doubtful that athletes would have accepted to travel to China if there had been any requirement for a period of isolation.
As the WTA seeks to find a resolution to the impasse with China over PengShuai, there are no events on the women’s circuit scheduled for China in 2022.
After Peng, a previous world number one in doubles, accused China’s former Vice-Premier Zhang Gaoli of sexual assault in a social media message last November, the WTA started to worry about Peng’s safety.
China was slated to host the Chengdu Open and Zhuhai Championships, both beginning on September 26, as well as the China Open from October 3–9 in Beijing in addition to the Oct. 9–16 Shanghai Masters.
The men’s body announced that it has given six ATP 250 tournaments single-year event permits in order to cover the gap in the schedule left by the withdrawal of the China events.