Il numero uno del mondo Jannik Sinner e Novak Djokovic si sono ritirati dal Canadian Open, il Masters 1000 in programma dal 2 al 13 agosto a Montreal. Il ritiro dei due campioni, unito all'assenza di Carlos Alcaraz ancora in recupero da un infortunio al polso, ha spinto la direttrice del torneo a chiedere interventi strutturali sul calendario del tennis professionistico.
Sinner, fresco campione di Wimbledon, ha comunicato di voler dare priorità alla salute. È il secondo anno consecutivo che entrambi si ritirano dall'evento canadese. La direttrice Valérie Tètreault ha rilasciato un comunicato dal tono deciso: "La frequenza di questi ritiri all'ultimo minuto solleva una questione più ampia per il nostro sport."
Tètreault ha sottolineato che i Masters 1000 sono tra gli eventi più importanti del circuito e ha rivelato che discussioni sono già in corso con l'ATP. Sette dei nove Masters 1000 si disputano su 12 giorni, e il calendario si estende per 11 mesi all'anno.
Fonti
- [BBC Sport](https://www.bbc.com/sport/tennis/articles/cz641eng5l9o)
- [Il Tennis Italiano](https://www.tennisitaliano.it/forfait-sinner-e-djokovic-montreal-risponde-servono-aggiustamenti-per-tutelare-i-tornei/)
Sinner and Djokovic Withdraw from Canadian Open as Calls Grow for Tennis Schedule Reform
World number one Jannik Sinner and 24-time Grand Slam champion Novak Djokovic have both withdrawn from the Canadian Open, the Masters 1000 event scheduled for August 2-13 in Montreal. Their absence — compounded by Carlos Alcaraz's ongoing recovery from a wrist injury — has prompted the tournament's director to call for sweeping changes to the professional tennis calendar.
Sinner, who claimed the Wimbledon title earlier this month after beating Alexander Zverev in the final, said he was stepping back from the ATP tournament to prioritise his health. It is the second consecutive year that both Sinner and Djokovic have pulled out of the Canadian event, after withdrawing from last year's edition in Toronto.
Tournament director Valerie Tetreault expressed her disappointment in a strongly worded statement. "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," she said. "The frequency of these last-minute withdrawals in the last few years raises a broader issue for our sport."
Tetreault stressed that Masters 1000 tournaments are among the flagship events on the ATP Tour and that fans rightfully expect to see the world's best players compete. She revealed that discussions are already underway with the ATP to address the growing problem.
The withdrawals add to mounting concerns about player welfare and an overcrowded schedule. Seven of the nine existing Masters 1000 events are now staged over 12 days, and the top-level calendar stretches across 11 months of the year.
Sources
- [BBC Sport](https://www.bbc.com/sport/tennis/articles/cz641eng5l9o)
- [Il Tennis Italiano](https://www.tennisitaliano.it/forfait-sinner-e-djokovic-montreal-risponde-servono-aggiustamenti-per-tutelare-i-tornei/)
