Coronavirus: Wimbledon cancelled due to COVID-19 outbreak

This summer's Wimbledon has been cancelled due to coronavirus, the All England Club has confirmed.

Only the two World Wars have prevented the oldest tennis tournament in the world, founded in 1877, from being held.

One of the most important events in the annual tennis calendar, the Championships was due to be held for two weeks from 29 June.

A statement from the main board at the All England Club, which runs the tournament, said the decision was made "due to public health concerns linked to the coronavirus epidemic".

It said the health and safety of all those who make Wimbledon happen has been "uppermost in our mind" and its "broader responsibility to society's efforts to tackle this global challenge to our way of life".

Postponing the Champions was ruled out, the board said, because preparations for Wimbledon start in April, with ball boys and girls beginning training and thousands of officials, line judges, stewards, players, suppliers, media and contractors coming to the grounds in southwest London.

Questions over whether it was going to go ahead have been asked for weeks, with the French Open, due to start on 24 May, postponed in mid-March for four months.

The All England Club said tickets paid for in the Wimbledon public ballet will be contacted and refunded and offered the chance to purchase tickets for the same day and court next year.

Sky News sports correspondent Martha Kelner said the All England Club was considering postponing the Championships but the tennis schedule is so busy there would not be any time so it was forced to cancel the tournament.

Former pro Amelie Mauresmo said she cannot see tennis happening this year at all unless a vaccine is discovered.

Wimbledon's warm-up grass tournaments in Birmingham, Nottingham, Eastbourne and at London's Queen's Club will also have to be postponed.

All tennis courts and facilities have been closed across the UK since Boris Johnson placed the country in lockdown on 23 March.