Daily Times

MADRID: The Madrid Open that was scheduled to take place from Sept. 12-20 has been cancelled due to the rise of COVID-19 cases in the Spanish capital, organisers said on Tuesday. Initially scheduled to be played in May before the pandemic shut down sport, the tournament was to feature both men’s and women’s draws and was seen as an important claycourt event for players to prepare for the French Open which begins on Sept. 27. Organisers said they had created a ‘bubble’ to minimise the risk of spreading the novel coronavirus but over the weekend they were advised by local health authorities not to stage the tournament next month. The tournament’s fate was sealed when a directive was issued that said “social gatherings are to be reduced to 10 people”. “As an act of responsibility in view of the current situation caused by COVID-19 and having thoroughly evaluated the circumstances that the pandemic continues to generate… it has been decided that (the) 2020 Mutua Madrid Open will not take place this year,” organisers said in a statement.