The LTA have announced that plans to bring the National Championships back to the tennis calendar in the United Kingdom are at an advanced stage. It would come as a glimmer of hope for tennis fans, who have gone months without watching any tennis action. The decision to resume plans to bring back the event come just days after it was revealed that the ATP and WTA events are likely to be delayed further.
The National Championships would make a welcome return to the calendar, with men’s, women’s, junior and wheelchair players all likely to be involved in the action. This newly re-introduced event could take place in the autumn at an indoor court, but there is still no word yet whether the events would be attended by players. That decision would likely be left down to the guidance being given by the government later in the year.
Why Were The National Championships Scrapped?
The event was removed from the tennis calendar 18 years ago as there was no longer an interest in the event. Meanwhile, Anne Keothavong won the most recent National Championship title. However, she was never able to replicate that form in the Grand Slam competitions, as she never made it past her third round showing at the US Open in 2008. Regardless she had an excellent tennis career, as she represented her country a staggering 39 times in the Fed Cup. The return of the competition will give a platform to younger players to excel.
It is worth mentioning that plans are still at an early stage at present, with no final decision likely to be made until later in the summer. However, with the ATP and WTA events currently not expected back until late this year, there is a hope that the National Championships will be able to return with a newfound vigour. That will be due to the players that could be competing in the competition, with fans hopeful that Sir Andy Murray, Johanna Konta and Heather Watson could all be involved.
When Could ATP And WTA Events Return?
There is still no set date on when the ATP and WTA events may return, as it has recently been revealed that all competitions have been delayed further. ATP events in July have now been suspended from the tennis calendar, which means that the Hamburg Open will no longer take place. WTA events in Bucharest, Jurmala and Bastad have also been cancelled.
Furthermore, there is also an expectancy that events in Karlsruhe and Palermo will also be suspended at a later date. Organisers are still hopeful that fans will be able to get Grand Slam action this year, with the US Open due to take place in August. However, there is also still hope that the French Open will go ahead as planned at their rescheduled date. At present, the only Grand Slam to have been officially cancelled is Wimbledon, which was cancelled for the first time since the Second World War earlier in the year.
