Jannik Sinner, the world No. 1, has withdrawn from the National Bank Open in Montreal, a decision the Italian says was necessary to prioritise his health following his Wimbledon triumph earlier this month.
The reigning Wimbledon champion — who defeated Alexander Zverev in the final at the All England Club — announced his withdrawal on Friday evening via a statement released by Tennis Canada. The Masters 1000 event is scheduled to run from 2-13 August in Montreal.
"After carefully evaluating all factors together with my team, we made the difficult decision to withdraw from Montreal," Sinner said. "It's never easy to miss such an important event, but we believe this is the right decision to prioritise my health. I am sorry not to be there, but I look forward to returning to Montreal in the future."
Sinner's absence means he will miss the chance to win all nine ATP Masters 1000 titles in a single season, but the decision buys him valuable rest ahead of the US Open, the final Grand Slam of the year, which begins on 30 August.
He is not alone in skipping the Canadian event. Novak Djokovic, who turned 39 earlier this year, has also withdrawn, continuing his pattern of prioritising Grand Slam appearances over Masters 1000 commitments. Carlos Alcaraz remains absent from the tour as he continues his recovery from a wrist injury that has kept him sidelined since April.
The cluster of high-profile withdrawals has drawn a pointed response from Valérie Tétreault, tournament director of the National Bank Open. While expressing understanding for the players' decisions, she called for structural reforms to the ATP calendar.
"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," Tétreault said. "We respect their decisions and understand that, with such a demanding schedule, players' health must remain the priority."
She added: "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. We are already in discussions with the ATP to ensure this matter receives serious consideration."
The controversy reignites a long-running debate about the congested tennis calendar, which stretches across 11 months for the top players. Seven of the nine existing Masters 1000 events are now staged over 12 days, and concerns have regularly been voiced by players and tournament directors alike. Earlier this year, women's world No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka and Iga Swiatek both withdrew late from the Dubai Championships, prompting similar criticism from that tournament's director.
With Sinner, Djokovic and Alcaraz all absent, the Montreal draw will be headlined by the remaining top-10 players — including Alexander Zverev, who will be looking to bounce back from his Wimbledon final defeat. The Cincinnati Open, another Masters 1000, follows immediately after Montreal before the tour heads to New York for the US Open.
Sources
- https://www.bbc.com/sport/tennis/articles/cz641eng5l9o
- https://www.ubitennis.com/blog/2026/07/25/atp-montreal-sinner-spiega-il-forfait-priorita-alla-mia-salute-e-la-direttrice-del-torneo-troppi-ritiri-dellultimo-minuto/
