Pan Pacific Open the latest WTA Tour event to be axed because of the coronavirus

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The 2020 WTA Tour calendar has been dealt another blow after the Toray Pan Pacific Open in Japan became the latest tournament to be cancelled due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Following a five-month enforced break due to Covid-19, women’s tennis is set to resume on August 3 with the Palermo Open while the Top Seed Open in Kentucky and the Prague Open have been pencilled in for the following week.

However, there are major doubts over the final few weeks of the 2020 season as last week seven WTA Tour events in China were cancelled due to the coronavirus.

WTA Finals Shenzhen and Shanghai Masters among ATP and WTA events cancelled in China

And now organisers of the Pan Pacific Open have followed suit.

“The Executive Committee looked at every possible way to make this tournament happen, including the idea of holding matches without audiences or restricting admissions in order to prioritize the health and safety of everyone involved,” a statement read.

“However, after a series of deliberations, the Executive Committee made a heartrending decision to rule out the postponement, and concluded that the cancelation of the tournament was the best decision in the interest of public health, especially in light of the concern about the second wave of infection spreading in Japan.”

The Pan Pacific Open was due to take place from November 2-8 while the Japan Women’s Open (September 14-20) in Hiroshima and ATP Japan Open (October 5-11) have also been cancelled.

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