Auckland tournament will not be played in 2021 due to COVID

The Auckland (New Zealand) tournament, both in the men's (ATP) and women's (WTA) categories, will not be played next January 2021 due to to the coronavirus pandemic as announced by the organizers on Tuesday.

The Auckland tournament is the prelude to the first Grand Slam of the year, that of Australia, but the 2021 edition will not be played, as the organizers announced that “safety” is their “priority”.

In the last edition, in 2020, Frenchman Ugo Humbert beat his compatriot Benoit Paire, while in the women's tournament, American Serena Williams won the title, the first since 2017 and after the birth of her daughter.

“Safety is our priority,” Director Karl Budge said in a statement. “We expect the tournament to return to Auckland the following year. New Zealand has maintained strict border controls and travel restrictions to minimize the risks of a resurgence of the pandemic.”