The Australian Open was pushed back to February 8 on Thursday after weeks of negotiations as coronavirus disruption hits a second Grand Slam tennis season.

Men’s qualifiers will be held in Doha but Australia will host a series of build-up events including the flagship ATP Cup, the men’s ATP Tour said, announcing its early 2021 schedule.

The three-week delay to the season’s opening Grand Slam comes after this year’s Wimbledon was cancelled – for the first time since World War II – the French Open was postponed and the US Open was played behind closed doors.

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