The last time it was cancelled? World War II was going on.

This is just one of the many statistics outside the medical profession that shows how serious the coronavirus pandemic is to not just the sporting world, but Earth in general.

Now that's out of the way, time for a bit more of a light-hearted approach to the matter - at least Australia's tennis fans might get some sleep over May, June and July.

ELSEWHERE IN SPORT

Scattered with the European Grand Slams - the French Open (more on those troublemakers later) and traditional meeting at the All England Club - those two two-week blocks aren't pretty for a tennis fan's mood and sleeping pattern.

Whether it was staying up to view the classics like Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal's 2008 final, considered one of the best in tennis history or an obscure tussle like Lleyton Hewitt and Robin Soderling's 2011 second-round blockbuster which still haunts me to this day, all fans have Wimbledon memories.

But this year, our sleeping patterns will be saved and hopefully, cherished.

As a self-proclaimed tennis nut, the cancellation of Wimbledon brings about so many sub-plots that make next year's championships extra juicy.

The career paths of two of the sport's greatest participants - Federer and Serena Williams - and their Grand Slam records are arguably the biggest stories.

Previously sidelined before COVID-19 swept through and changed life as we know it, the Swiss maestro planned on bypassing the French Open before returning to cruise through Wimbledon, taking out his ninth grasscourt slam and his 21^st overall - furthering the gap between himself and heel-biting rivals.

OTHER TENNIS STORIES

Now past players and media plaudits are putting a line through the great man's career, citing his lengthy time off as a major detriment. I don't know about you, but I wouldn't be counting him out.

While Roger is aiming to conserve his record, Serena is chasing Margaret Court's 24 slams, sitting only one behind on 23.

I'm not ruling a line through her name just yet but she has previously struggled to maintain her level of tennis for seven Grand Slam matches, losing to Wang Qiang at the Australian Open, and time is rapidly ticking away for the American.

Anyway, taking the smart and expected approach of cancelling Wimbledon still couldn't have been an easy decision for the event's organisers especially after seeing the rogue decision of their European counterparts weeks earlier.

Not content with cancelling the sole claycourt Grand Slam on the calendar, the organisers of Roland Garros took it upon themselves to reschedule their tournament, allegedly without consultation of both playing bodies - the WTA and ATP.

Now that's just the definition of rogue, isn't it?

But what's made an already hostile situation even worse is just when they've planned to play their tournament.

Smacking it just a week after the US Open's planned date and during the Laver Cup's team event, players like Fabio Fognini have already come out and said that it would be too physically demanding on the big names of the sport while the likes of Federer and Nadal have already put their names forward to play in the Laver Cup.

While I personally think no more tennis will go ahead this season, it's just a huge mess and I bet the tennis world would love to go back to when playing the Australian Open under bushfire threat was its biggest problem.