The Canadian Open is heading into its 2025 edition without three of the biggest names in men's tennis, and tournament director Valerie Tetreault is not staying quiet about it. Jannik Sinner and Novak Djokovic have both confirmed withdrawals from the Montreal event (August 2-13), and Carlos Alcaraz remains sidelined by the wrist injury that has kept him off the tour since April. Notably, Sinner and Djokovic also skipped last year's edition in Toronto, making this a painful pattern for Canadian Open organizers.
Sinner, fresh from winning Wimbledon this month after defeating Alexander Zverev in the final, cited health priorities in his withdrawal statement. The timing is especially striking because the world No. 1 had already won five Masters 1000 titles this season, at Indian Wells, Miami, Monte Carlo, Madrid, and Rome. A Montreal title would have put him on a path toward something truly historic: winning all nine Masters 1000 events in a single calendar year, a feat never accomplished before. He chose rest instead.
Djokovic, 39, has not played the Canadian tournament since 2018 and has been managing a reduced schedule. His absence is less surprising, but no less damaging to the event's star power.
Tetreault responded with pointed language, calling the repeated late withdrawals a broader issue for the sport and confirming that the Canadian Open is already in active discussions with the ATP about potential reforms. She noted that Masters 1000 events represent the tour's flagship competitions below the Grand Slams, and that fans deserve to see the top competitors take the court. Sinner himself has previously expressed a preference for the traditional one-week Masters format, suggesting the expanded 12-day schedule contributes to player fatigue.
With the US Open starting August 30, the North American hardcourt swing remains critical. TennisDraw users tracking the Canadian Open draw will need to reassess their bracket picks significantly with this trio now officially absent.
