ATP cancels Tel Aviv Open due to Israel conflict

Organisers and the ATP have announced that the Tel Aviv Open, which was scheduled to take place from November 5-11, has been cancelled.

The announcement comes days after Israel was attacked by Hamas. Since then, Israel has declared a state of war, making the region dangerous for tennis players and others for the time being.

The announcement, while not unexpected, comes as a blow.

That's because the tour received rave reviews from players last year. The ATP 250 returned to Tel Aviv for the first time since 1996 and featured packed crowds, with 24-time Grand Slam champion Novak Djokovic defeating Marin Cilic in the final.

However, organisers and the tour were left with no other alternative given the situation in the country. The ATP have spent the past week looking to find an alternative venue for a tournament, with Sofia mentioned as a possible location.

Sofia as a host venue

The Bulgarian country has hosted small tournaments in the past, and the small window to get things up and running would be no problem for the ATP, who found plenty of alternative sites during the COVID-19 pandemic due to rising infection rates or rules regarding public gatherings.

Another small ATP tournament will take place in Metz, that week, but the ATP are keen to give players another option to play.

That's because November 5-11 is the final week of tour play for everyone outside of the top eight players, who will play in the Tour Finals.

Many of the best players will likely be skipping that week given what is at stake at the Tour Finals. The event offers nearly $15 million in prize money, with as much as $5 million for the champion who survives the event without losing a match.