Doha to host qualifying rounds of 2021 Australian Open in January
In what is a first of its kind in history, Qatar will host the qualifying matches of the 2021 Australian Open from January 10 to 13 at the Khalifa International Tennis and Squash Complex in Doha.
The Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP), the governing body of the men's tour, and the Qatar Tennis Federation confirmed this on Thursday.
According to a release from ATP, the 2021 Australian Open is scheduled for February 8-21, three weeks later than usual.
The confirmation from ATP follows weeks of speculation about the future of next year's event.
While the ATP only runs the men's side of professional tennis, it has to be in sync with the Women's Tennis Association, and the International Tennis Federation around the four majors played every year.
The Doha round of matches will give qualifiers time to travel to Australia and complete two weeks of quarantine before the warm-up events start on January 31, ATP said.
The possibility that players would have to go straight from quarantine into the first major of the year was a sticking point with reigning Australian Open champion Novak Djokovic.
"The reconfigured calendar for the start of the 2021 season represents a huge collaborative effort across tennis, under challenging circumstances," ATP chairman Andrea Gaudenzi said in announcing the first seven weeks of the men's season.
"Together with the support of our tournament and player members, partners, and Tennis Australia, we have been able to adapt and create an exciting start to the season.
"Health and safety will continue to be paramount as we navigate the challenges ahead, and I want to thank everyone involved for their commitment to finding solutions to launch our 2021 season."
It is not yet known what sort of field will turn up to Melbourne next year, with both the slams played during the coronavirus pandemic this year featuring several high-profile absentees.
Wimbledon was called off this year due to the pandemic, while the US Open and French Open were delayed, with the New York major played in empty stadiums in September.
The ATP Tour will start in the first week of January with a tournament in Delray Beach, Florida.
Check out our QND 2020 guide for more information regarding the special occasion.
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