LONDON: The ATP Tour on Thursday updated its end-of-year calendar, with six tournaments added to replace the Covid-enforced cancellation of the 2022 China swing for the third year in succession.

China hosted the Winter Olympics under strict health protocols in February but almost every other international sporting event in the country this year has been cancelled or postponed.

“ATP has today confirmed the Shanghai Masters, China Open [Beijing], Chengdu Open, and Zhuhai Championships will not take place in 2022 due to ongoing restrictions related to COVID-19,” a statement for the men’s tour announced.

“This marks the third year of cancellation for the ATP’s China swing, typically hosted in September and October and last staged in 2019, prior to the pandemic,” it added.

The six new events are in San Diego, Seoul, Tel Aviv, Florence, Gijon and Naples between September 19 and October 23.

All six are ATP 250 tournaments, with the men’s tour announcing that two existing 250 events in Astana and Tokyo were being upgraded to 500 level.

“All other events for the remainder of the ATP Tour season are currently set to proceed as scheduled,” the statement read, with the season culminating at the Next Gen ATP Finals in Milan and ATP Finals in Turin.

As of July 20, mainland China had confirmed 228,180 cases of Covid-19 with symptoms since the pandemic first struck in December 2019.

Although the number is small by global standards, authorities in China are sticking to a stringent zero-Covid policy, while other countries have relaxed their rules and chosen to live with the virus.

The French Open and Wimbledon were recently held without any health restrictions and it was unlikely players would have agreed to go to China if there was any period of isolation involved.

“As a global sport we continue to manage the impacts of the pandemic,” ATP chairman Andrea Gaudenzi said. “Event cancellations are an unfortunate reality. At the same time, it’s incredibly encouraging to have many great cities step up to host ATP Tour tennis this season.”

The women’s tour has no events scheduled in China for 2022 as the WTA works to find a resolution to the standoff with China over Peng Shuai.

Former doubles world number one Peng’s wellbeing became a concern for the WTA after she posted a message on social media last November accusing China’s former Vice-Premier Zhang Gaoli of sexual assault.

Published in Dawn, July 22nd, 2022