For the second year in a row, the Canadian Open began Saturday without three of the biggest names in men’s tennis.
World No. 1 Jannik Sinner, 24-time Grand Slam champion Novak Djokovic, and seven-time major winner Carlos Alcaraz will all miss the tournament. Sinner and Djokovic withdrew in late July, while Alcaraz is recovering from a right wrist injury but is expected to return for the U.S. Open later this month.
Organizers hoped this year’s later start would help keep the top players in the field. The 2025 tournament began just two weeks after the Wimbledon final, while this year’s event gave players an additional week to recover.
“We are obviously very disappointed that Jannik and Novak won’t be joining us in Montréal this year, especially after they also withdrew from last year’s tournament in Toronto,” said tournament director Valérie Tétreault.
While Tétreault acknowledged the demands of the calendar and the need for players to prioritize their health, she said repeated withdrawals point to a larger problem. “Masters 1000 events are among the flagship tournaments on the tour, and fans rightfully expect to see the world’s best compete,” she said.
