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Sports world reacts to Wimbledon being canceled for first time since World War II

Dustin Brown Wimbledon Kim Clijsters

Wimbledon has been canceled. For the first time since World War II, the Grand Slam will not take place due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

The All England Club (AELTC) and the Committee of Management of The Championships announced Wednesday that Wimbledon will be canceled “due to public health concerns linked to the coronavirus epidemic” and announced that the “134th Championships will instead be staged from 28 June to 11 July 2021.”

“This is a decision that we have not taken lightly, and we have done so with the highest regard for public health and the wellbeing of all those who come together to make Wimbledon happen,” Ian Hewitt, AELTC Chairman, commented. “It has weighed heavily on our minds that the staging of The Championships has only been interrupted previously by World Wars but, following thorough and extensive consideration of all scenarios, we believe that it is a measure of this global crisis that it is ultimately the right decision to cancel this year’s Championships, and instead concentrate on how we can use the breadth of Wimbledon’s resources to help those in our local communities and beyond. Our thoughts are with all those who have been and continue to be affected by these unprecedented times.”

According to the latest information from Johns Hopkins University, there have been more than 883,000 confirmed cases of COVID-19 worldwide, and more than 44,000 people have tragically lost their lives to the novel coronavirus. The United Kingdom is currently on lockdown and has been hit hard in the past couple of weeks.

So, the decision to cancel Wimbledon is certainly the correct move in these trying times. Still, the announcement sent shock waves throughout the sports world. Here’s how the news was received on social media.

Stay safe, and stay at home, everyone. We will get through this together.

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