The NEC Wheelchair Masters and UNIQLO Doubles Masters have been cancelled ©Getty Images

The International Tennis Federation (ITF) has announced the cancellation of the NEC Wheelchair Masters and UNIQLO Doubles Masters due to the coronavirus pandemic.

The season-ending Masters event was originally scheduled to take place in Orlando in Florida from November 16 to 23. 

Following confirmation that the United States Tennis Association would be unable to host the event this year, the ITF had been working to identify an alternative host.

The US is the country most impacted by the global health crisis, having reported more than 8.6 million coronavirus cases and 228,000 deaths so far. 

There was a wheelchair contest at the US Open in September ©Getty Images
There was a wheelchair contest at the US Open in September ©Getty Images

Despite interest from alternative hosts, the ongoing spread of COVID-19 and the introduction of restrictions by local and national authorities meant it was deemed infeasible to stage the Wheelchair Tennis Masters with a satisfactory degree of safety and certainty for all participants.

The ITF is set to consult players and national associations on how to best provide competitive opportunities in 2021.

Wheelchair competitions have taken place at the US Open and French Open since the outbreak of the pandemic, but numerous over events have been called off.