World No. 1 Jannik Sinner and 24-time Grand Slam champion Novak Djokovic have withdrawn from the National Bank Open in Montreal, prompting the tournament director to call for urgent changes to the congested ATP calendar.
Sinner, who won his second Wimbledon title earlier this month by defeating Alexander Zverev in the final, said he had made the "difficult decision" after consulting with his team.
"It is never easy to miss such an important event, but we believe this is the right decision to prioritize my health," Sinner said in a statement released by Tennis Canada. "I'm disappointed not to be there, but I look forward to returning to Montreal in the future."
Seven-time Grand Slam champion Carlos Alcaraz will also be absent from the Masters 1000 event, which runs from 2-13 August. The Spaniard continues his recovery from a right wrist injury that has kept him sidelined since April, causing him to miss both the French Open and Wimbledon.
The withdrawal of the three biggest draws in men's tennis — Sinner, Djokovic and Alcaraz — marks the second consecutive year the trio has missed the Canadian tournament. All three skipped last year's edition in Toronto, when the 12-day event began just two weeks after Wimbledon.
Tournament director Valerie Tetreault expressed her frustration in a statement, while respecting the players' decisions.
"We are obviously very disappointed that Jannik and Novak won't be joining us in Montreal this year, especially after they also withdrew from last year's tournament in Toronto," Tetreault said. "We respect their decisions and understand that, with such a demanding schedule, players' health must remain the priority."
"That said, we believe the frequency of these last-minute withdrawals in the last few years raises a broader issue for our sport. Masters 1000 events are among the flagship tournaments on the tour, and fans rightfully expect to see the world's best compete."
Tetreault confirmed the tournament is already in discussions with the ATP to address the issue. Seven of the nine existing Masters 1000 events are now staged over 12 days, and concerns over the congested tennis calendar — which stretches across 11 months of the year for top players — have regularly been voiced by players and officials alike.
French Open champion and Wimbledon runner-up Alexander Zverev will be the tournament's top seed. Montreal's Felix Auger-Aliassime will be seeded second, making him the highest-seeded Canadian in the tournament's history.
Sinner and Djokovic could return to action at the Cincinnati Open, another Masters 1000 event, with main draw play beginning the day the National Bank Open ends. The US Open, the final Grand Slam of the year, begins on 30 August.
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