The VTB Kremlin Cup became the Russia's first pro international tennis tournament when it was founded in 1990 and local players have come to dominate the event, none more so than Yevgeny Kafelnikov who won a record five consecutive titles between 1997-2001. Due to the global Covid-19 outbreak, the 2020 edition did not take place. Kremlin Cup: Britain's Johanna Konta reaches second semi-final of 2018. Last updated on 18 October 2018 18 October 2018. From the section Tennis. Konta started the year ranked ninth in the world. Find Kremlin Cup Latest News, Videos & Pictures on Kremlin Cup and see latest updates, news, information from NDTV.COM. Explore more on Kremlin Cup. «VTB Kremlin Cup» hands wild card to Sloane Stephens October 11, 11:00 AM Schedule of the ticket Department of the tournament «VTB Kremlin Cup» on the weekend of October 6-7 October 04, 07:00 PM «VTB Kremlin Cup» 2018 press-conference announced October 01, 12:00 PM The list of players for the men's main draw September 05, 01:45 PM.

Russian Tennis Federation President Shamil Tarpischev has commented on the timing of the VTB Kremlin Cup as he has revealed that this year there likely won't be a combined event in Moscow. The Kremlin Cup in Moscow -- originally scheduled to take place from October 19-25 -- traditionally features a combined men's and women's event.

Due to the coronavirus pandemic, the organizers are trying to make some changes to this year's tournament edition as the goal is to host the men's and women's events in different weeks. 'We are now at the stage of negotiations on the dates of the Kremlin Cup.

We plan to hold it right after the St. Petersburg tournament. Approximately late October - early November,' Tarpischev told Championship sports news. 'Most likely, men and women will be separated for weeks, they will not play together.'

The cancelation of China swing creates more space for the VTB Kremlin Cup

On Friday, the ATP and WTA announced the cancelation of the China swing as there won't be any taking ATP or WTA events taking place in China this year.

The new date for the men's event in Moscow has yet to be determined but now it will be much easier for the ATP officials to find a date for the VTB Kremlin Cup. 'Our approach throughout this pandemic has been to always follow local guidance when staging events.

We respect the Chinese government’s decision to do what’s best for the country in response to the unprecedented global situation,” ATP Chairman Andrea Gaudenzi said in a statement released. “It’s with a heavy heart that we announce ATP tournaments will not be played in China this year.

These important events have been a cornerstone of the Tour’s presence in Asia and I want to thank the organizers for their commitment and cooperation. Chinese fans are some of the most passionate in the world and I know players will be looking forward to the next opportunity to play in front of them.'

Kremlin Cup 2019 Tennis

The ATP also noted in its statement: 'The ATP continues to work on a revised calendar for the final section of the 2020 season, through to the Nitto ATP Finals in November. A further update is expected in the next fortnight on a provisional schedule of events.' Meanwhile, the WTA has scheduled the VTB Kremlin Cup to take place from November 2-7 in its revised calendar.

ATP and WTA jointly announced on Friday that the 2020 Kremlin Cup tournaments in Moscow have been canceled by a mandate from health officials in the Russian capital, where there has been a surge in coronavirus infections.

However, the ATP's St. Petersburg tournament -- a more prestigious event scheduled to start in Russia's second-largest city just one week before the Kremlin Cup -- remains on the schedule.

The ATP did not comment on the decision. The WTA said in a statement: 'The WTA continues to monitor the situation closely and work with medical experts, as protecting the health and safety of our WTA community is of utmost importance. The Tour continues to remain vigilant in managing this challenging situation and playing as much tennis as it is safe to do so.'

The Kremlin Cup events were scheduled for back-to-back weeks beginning with the men's event on the week of Oct. 19. That one is an ATP 250, occupying the lowest rung in the ATP's three-tier main tour system. The women's event that follows is a WTA Premier-level tournament, which is also a third-tier tournament but in a more complicated WTA scheme. The St. Petersburg Open is a more prestigious ATP 500 event, second only to a Masters 1000. The numbers attached to the tournaments represent the number of rankings points earned by the winner.

Kremlin Cup 2021

The Kremlin Cup, created in 1990, was the first international professional tennis tournament held in Russia following the collapse of Soviet rule. Originally for men only, a women's event was added in 1996. Among past winners: Martina Hingis, Caroline Wozniacki, Victoria Azarenka and Simona Halep. The male champions include Marin Cilic, Richard Gasquet and defending champion Andrey Rublev.

Two other ATP 250 events in the same week as the Kremlin Cup are scheduled to proceed as normal.

Kremlin Cup 2018

The cancellation of the WTA event, along with the collapse of the fall Asian swing, means that the women's group now has just two tournaments left on the decimated 2020 calendar, a Premier in the Czech Republic and a lowly International-grade event in Limoges, France. Two other events that were postponed have not been rescheduled yet.