World No. 1 Jannik Sinner and 24-time Grand Slam champion Novak Djokovic have formally withdrawn from the National Bank Open in Montreal. The back-to-back exits strike a heavy blow to the Masters 1000 tournament, which is scheduled to run from August 1 to 13.
Tournament organizers were already reeling from the loss of Carlos Alcaraz. The Spanish star pulled out earlier this week due to an ongoing wrist injury. If you are tracking the current ATP standings, the Canadian draw will now proceed without the three biggest names in men’s tennis for the second consecutive year.
Sinner cited extreme fatigue. “It was a difficult decision,” he said, according to a statement provided by Tennis Canada. He and his team chose to prioritize physical recovery following a highly demanding summer schedule. All three absent stars, along with Alexander Zverev, are expected to return for the Cincinnati Open later in August.
The sudden vacuum at the top of the bracket radically reshapes the seeding. Alexander Zverev instantly elevates to the tournament’s top seed. Just behind him, Montreal native Félix Auger-Aliassime climbs into the No. 2 slot.
That shift makes Auger-Aliassime the highest-seeded Canadian player in the history of the event, confirming a historic hometown advantage for the Montreal bracket.
Tennis Canada Pushes ATP for Schedule Protections
National Bank Open Tournament Director Valérie Tétreault didn’t hide her frustration over the late scratchings. She publicly called the timing an absolute disaster.
Organizers had deliberately hoped the three-week gap following Wimbledon this year would prevent exactly this scenario. It didn’t work.
Tétreault confirmed that Tennis Canada is already in active discussions with the ATP to address the vulnerability of the current calendar. The goal is to implement schedule adjustments that better protect the integrity and guaranteed player participation of Masters 1000 events moving forward.