Tennis

In a seismic shift for the upcoming hard-court season, World No. 1 Jannik Sinner and 24-time Grand Slam champion Novak Djokovic have officially withdrawn from the National Bank Open in Montreal. The announcement, confirmed by Tennis Canada, delivers a devastating blow to tournament organizers and fans alike.

The Withdrawal Domino Effect

The absence of these two titans follows the earlier omission of French Open champion and Wimbledon runner-up Carlos Alcaraz, who continues his recovery from a right wrist injury. Consequently, Alexander Zverev has been elevated to the tournament’s top seed. Meanwhile, local hero Félix Auger-Aliassime will be seeded second, marking a historic milestone as the highest-seeded Canadian in the event's history.

"After carefully considering all the factors together with my team, we have made the difficult decision to withdraw from Montreal. It is never easy to miss such an important event, but we believe this is the right decision to prioritize my health." — Jannik Sinner

Organizational Frustration Mounts

Tournament officials, who had anticipated fewer absences this year due to a three-week buffer following the Wimbledon finals, expressed profound dismay. National Bank Open tournament director Valérie Tétreault highlighted that while player health must remain paramount, the recurrent pattern of last-minute withdrawals threatens the integrity of Masters 1000 events.

Tennis Canada is now in active dialogue with the ATP to explore structural adjustments that better protect flagship tournaments without ignoring the grueling realities of the modern tennis calendar. Both Sinner and Djokovic are expected to potentially resume their campaigns at the Cincinnati Open, which commences immediately after the Montreal event concludes.

Official Source

As a dedicated social media embed for this specific withdrawal announcement is currently dynamic, readers are directed to the comprehensive original report for exclusive statements and tournament updates:

Read the full original report on The Toronto Star