The Australian Open was pushed back to February 8 on Thursday after weeks of negotiations as COVID-19 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. Fans are expected to be allowed at Melbourne Park, the tournament’s venue, as the COVID-19 is under control in Australia, but players will need to undergo 14 days of quarantine.