COVID-19: Tennis international governing bodies to create 'Player Relief Programme'

The international governing bodies include ITF, Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP), Women's Tennis Association (WTA), Tennis Australia, the Federation Francaise de Tennis, All England Club and United States Tennis Association.

London [UK]: The International Tennis Federation (ITF) on Tuesday announced that the international governing bodies of world tennis are planning to create a 'Player Relief Programme' to provide 'much-needed' assistance to the coronavirus-impacted players.

The international governing bodies include ITF, Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP), Women's Tennis Association (WTA), Tennis Australia, the Federation Francaise de Tennis, All England Club and United States Tennis Association.

"With so much uncertainty around when it will be safe to restart the professional tennis tours, the international governing bodies of world tennis can confirm they are in discussions to create a Player Relief Programme to provide much-needed assistance to the players who are particularly affected during this time of the coronavirus (COVID-19) crisis," ITF said in a statement.

"These discussions have been progressing well and details are being finalised with an announcement expected in the near future. Already agreed is that the ATP and the WTA will administer the Player Relief Programme and all seven stakeholders will make a significant contribution," the statement added.

The statement further stated that the health and safety of everyone involved is their 'absolute priority'.

"The health and safety of everyone involved in tennis is the absolute priority for all the governing bodies, and the tennis community has been unwavering in playing its part in limiting the spread of the infection," the statement read.