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Novak Djokovic kisses the championship trophy after winning the Wimbledon men's final in 2018. Wimbledon has been cancelled for the first time since WWII.Credit:John Walton/PA Wire

But after emergency talks between the various stakeholders over the last few days,the All England Lawn Tennis Club announced that it was impossible for the grasscourt grand slam,scheduled for June 29-July 12,to take place.

"It is with great regret that the main board of the All England Club and the committee of management of the championships have today decided that The Championships 2020 will be cancelled due to public health concerns linked to the coronavirus epidemic,"the All England Club said in a statement.

"The 134th Championships will instead be staged from June 28 to July 11,2021."

Eight-time Wimbledon champion Roger Federer reacted to the announcement with a single word,tweeting ‘‘devastated’’,while Serena Williams,the seven-time women’s singles champion,had her own reaction:‘‘I’m Shooked.’’

Wednesday’s decision by the All England Club means Novak Djokovic and Simona Halep will not get a chance to defend their Wimbledon titles from 2019. ‘‘We are going through something bigger than tennis and Wimbledon will be back!’’ Halep wrote on social media.

‘‘And it means I have even longer to look forward to defending my title.’’

Two-time Wimbledon champion Petra Kvitova expressed how much she will miss competing at the tournament. ‘‘Definitely a tough one to take,with the announcement of the cancellation of Wimbledon this year,’’ she said in a tweeted statement.

A security guard shuts the gates of The All England Tennis and Croquet Club on Wednesday.Credit:Getty Images

‘‘Not only is it a special tournament to me,but it’s a tournament that has been part of history for so long that it will leave a big hole in the calendar.

‘‘I will miss playing on the beautiful grass and wearing my whites,BUT of course we know it will be back better than ever next year. And maybe we will all appreciate it even more! Stay safe and stay inside.’’

Meanwhile,Coco Gauff,the American teenager who stunned everyone by reaching the last 16 last year,tweeted:‘‘I’m gonna miss playing in Wimbledon this year. Stay safe everyone,love you guys.’’

The men's ATP tour and women's WTA tour are already suspended until at least June 7 but it looks extremely unlikely that any professional tennis will be possible throughout the summer as the pandemic worsens in Europe and the US.

Britain's death toll from the virus reached 2352 on Wednesday,according to NHS figures.

The French Open,originally due to be held from May 24-June 7,has been postponed and controversially rescheduled by the French tennis federation for September 20-October 4,shortly after the end of the US Open.

Former Wimbledon champion Amelie Mauresmo doubts whether either tournament will be played though.

"I think we're going to have to draw a line under the 2020 tennis season,"Mauresmo said on Twitter this week.

"International circuit= players of all nationalities plus management,spectators and people from the 4 corners of the world who bring these events to life. No vaccine= no tennis."

Unlike the French Open which is played on clay,Wimbledon's scope for re-arranging the start date was extremely limited.

While centre court and court one boast a roof,playing elite level tennis outside on grass would have been extremely challenging in late summer or autumn with a lack of light and problems caused by dew forming on the surface late in the day.

Shortening the format of the tournament,or playing behind closed doors,would also have proved extremely unpopular with the players.

Wimbledon has been held every year since 1946 after a six-year hiatus because the country was at war.

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Reuters