The start date of the main draw of the tournament was originally slated for Jan. 18 and Tennis Australia have been locked in drawn-out negotiations with local government over Covid-19 health security measures. Organizers were still unable to confirm the start date Thursday. A shortened version of the ATP Cup men’s team tournament, which made its debut this year in cities around Australia, will take place in Melbourne from Feb. 1-5 before the Grand Slam begins on the following Monday. The ATP season will now open with tournaments in Delray Beach, Florida and Antalya in Turkey from Jan. 5-13 before preparations for the trip to Melbourne Park begin. The Auckland Classic and New York Open will not take place this year, the ATP said, while the Maharashtra Open in India and Rio Open in Brazil will be rescheduled.

Source: Dhaka Tribune December 18, 2020 10:07 UTC