- Junior Tour to resume for 14 and 16 & Under age categories
- 12 & Under Tour to return from 1st January 2021
- Strict new safety protocols
- 2020 European Junior Championships (14, 16, 18 & Under) cancelled
- Introduction of online sign-in for players
The Tennis Europe Junior Tour will spring back into action from the week of 31st August, when Category 2 and 3 international tournaments for players aged 14 and 16 & Under will resume. There will be no Super Category or Category 1 events in the short term, in consideration of players who prefer not to travel or are prohibited from doing so.
12 & Under tournaments will restart on 1st January 2021, subject to the global situation. Players are advised to consult the rescheduled Junior Tour calendar, which is under constant revision.
The Tour’s flagship event, the European Junior Championships, has been cancelled for all three age groups. A combination of safety concerns, uncertain accessibility of venues and ongoing travel restrictions across Europe have forced the first cancellation in the prestigious competition’s 45-year history.
From 31st August, all Tennis Europe Junior Tour events must implement strict new health and safety procedures. All tournaments must satisfy the following conditions:
- Reduced draw sizes (maximum 32 players per draw)
- No overlap of qualifying and main draw events
- No spectators
- Social distancing enforced on site
- Strict sanitary guidelines.
These measures will be facilitated by the long-awaited introduction of an online sign-in service for players. This will reduce the need for on-site presence for sign-in and save time and costs for players and coaches.
A complete medical protocol is being finalised and will be published at the Tennis Europe website in the coming days.
As the Junior Tour adapts to this ‘new normality’ following the COVID-19 pandemic that has so far caused the suspension or cancellation of 333 individual events, changes to the Junior Rankings will be made to preserve the principles of merit, fairness and mobility. From the resumption of competition and until 14 March 2021, an Extended Ranking Period (24 months/104 weeks) will come into place. More details can be found here.
In other news, European Senior Championships (age categories 35-85) in Pörtschach, Austria, originally due to take place in June, have been cancelled and will be rescheduled for June 2021. The European Beach Tennis Championships will also not place. The event will return in 2021, when it will be hosted by the Bulgarian Tennis Federation.
The Board of Management is still monitoring the situation regarding the 2020 Annual General Meeting in Crete, Greece. A ‘virtual’ meeting is a possibility, and member nations are currently being consulted ahead of a final decision.