4 ATP men’s tournaments in China canceled over COVID concerns

The ATP men’s tennis tour is canceling all four of its tournaments held in China this year, citing COVID-19 restrictions.

The Rolex Shanghai Masters, China Open, Chengdu Open and Zhuhai Championships were called off by the ATP on Thursday. It is the third consecutive year that the tour scrapped its China swing, which usually runs after the U.S. Open in September and October.

The ATP filled out that section of its calendar with six tournaments given single-year event licenses: San Diego on Sept. 19-25; Seoul, South Korea, and Tel Aviv, Israel, on Sept. 26 to Oct. 2; Florence, Italy, and Gijon, Spain, on Oct. 10-16; and Naples, Italy, on Oct. 17-23.

Late last year, the WTA suspended all of its 2022 events in China because of concerns about the safety of Peng Shuai, a Grand Slam doubles champion who accused a former government official there of sexual assault. WTA CEO Steve Simon told The Associated Press at the time those tournaments could also be canceled beyond this year.