Thousands of miles away in ancient Olympia, the Olympic flame was lit at the start of the torch relay although, with the coronavirus crisis affecting all sports, the road to the Tokyo Olympics appears, at present, a distant one.

The men's tennis ATP Tour announced that no tournaments would take place until after April 20 at the earliest, wiping out the prestigious Miami and Monte Carlo Opens as well as events in Houston, Marrakech and Barcelona.

"This is not a decision that was taken lightly and it represents a great loss for our tournaments, players, and fans worldwide," ATP chairman Andrea Gaudenzi said, adding that they had had to take "responsible action".