Sinner and Djokovic withdraw from Canadian Open prompting schedule talks
Jannik Sinner and Novak Djokovic have withdrawn from the Canadian Open in Montreal, prompting the tournament director to call for urgent changes to the demanding tennis calendar.
The recent Wimbledon champion stated his decision to skip the August ATP event was strictly to prioritise his physical health.
He will be joined on the sidelines by the 24-time Grand Slam winner, with both men repeating their absences from last year’s edition in Toronto.
Carlos Alcaraz is also missing the Masters 1000 tournament as the Spaniard continues his recovery from a wrist injury that has sidelined him since April.
Canadian Open demands calendar adjustments
Valerie Tetreault, the tournament director, expressed deep disappointment over the high-profile absences.
“We respect their decisions and understand that, with such a demanding schedule, players’ health must remain the priority.”
She warned that the frequency of late withdrawals from flagship events raises a broader, systemic issue for the sport.
“We are already in discussions with the ATP to ensure this matter receives serious consideration.”
The tournament chief firmly believes future adjustments are required to protect the integrity of the Masters 1000 tier while acknowledging the realities athletes face.
Growing concerns over congested 11-month season
The Montreal event sits precariously in a packed summer swing, directly preceding the Cincinnati Open and the US Open.
Seven of the nine Masters 1000 tournaments have recently expanded to a demanding 12-day format.
This expansion has intensified criticism of a gruelling tennis calendar that now stretches across 11 months of the year for elite competitors.
Top players have repeatedly voiced frustration over the physical toll of the tour.
“They are going to kill us in some way,” stated Alcaraz in September 2024.
Late pull-outs spark penalty debate
The issue of player fatigue and sudden exits has permeated both major professional circuits.
British pair Jack Draper and Emma Raducanu recently withdrew from Wimbledon on the eve of the tournament due to fitness concerns.
Draper, managing a long-term arm injury, admitted that the sheer volume of physical setbacks among leading players is highly concerning.
Earlier this year, top-ranked WTA stars Aryna Sabalenka and Iga Swiatek pulled out of the Dubai Championships just two days before it commenced.
That incident led Dubai tournament director Salah Tahlak to controversially suggest that athletes making late withdrawals should be docked ranking points.
The Belarusian star swiftly branded that criticism as “ridiculous”, warning she may never play the tournament again.