With the dates of the Australian Open still to be confirmed, the start of the ATP season has been left in disarray. According to the provisional schedule, the ATP season will start with the Delray Beach tournament and Antalya events from January 7-13, 2021.
According to website Tennis Majors, ‘Indian Wells, Rio de Janeiro, Pune and New York are canceled (or even moved). And three tours will be offered to players in Europe, South America and the Middle East in late February, early March.’
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The tennis season usually begins with tune-up events for the Australian Open in Australia and New Zealand. But due to the pandemic, the first major of the season is likely to be delayed. A tentative date of February 8, 2021 has been set for the start of the Australian Open, subject to a nod from the Victoria government.
The qualifying event for the major will take place in Dubai.
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Though the ATP Cup has been scrapped for the year, a revamped version of the tournament and an ATP 250 event has been penned in for the week leading up to the Australian Open (February 1-7).
Delray Beach, Florida will host the first tournament of the season, five weeks ahead of its usual schedule. A new tournament at Antalya, Turkey, will also take place in the same week as—January 7-13–Delray Beach.
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The Indian Wells tournament, which is usually the first Masters event of the season, has been cancelled although an autumn re-schedule is being considered. The Miami Masters, meanwhile, as of now will go ahead as usual.
Recently, WTA CEO Steve Simon had said that the women’s tour will have a full calendar of 55 events. Even though a schedule is not out yet, the WTA Tour is likely to start with a brand new event at Abu Dhabi from January 5-13, 2021.
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Traditionally, the WTA opens its season with the ASB Classic in Auckland and the Brisbane International followed by three more events in Shenzhen, Adelaide and Hobart before the Australian Open starts.
