The Canadian Open is shaping up to be a major opportunity for those willing to show up, as the withdrawal list in Montreal continues to grow at an alarming rate. Alexander Bublik became the latest high-profile name to pull out, joining Carlos Alcaraz, Jannik Sinner, and Novak Djokovic in skipping the hardcourt Masters event.
The pattern is hardly a new one. Djokovic has not played the Canadian Open since 2018, and both Alcaraz and Sinner have now bypassed the Montreal and Toronto swing in back-to-back years. Bublik, for his part, is also expected to miss Cincinnati, as he has consistently chosen to skip that tournament to be present for his son's birthday. He cited the personal milestone as simply more important than a Masters 1000 title race. Given that, fans will likely not see Bublik again until the US Open, where his record is inconsistent at best, though he did reach the fourth round last year for his deepest run at Flushing Meadows.
Injuries have further thinned the draw. Sebastian Korda and Tomas Machac, both of whom have struggled physically over the summer, also withdrew from the ATP side of the draw.
The WTA tournament in Toronto has not been spared either. Karolina Muchova, the Wimbledon finalist, confirmed she underwent minor surgery and cannot compete. Emma Raducanu is sitting out with a stress fracture, while Jasmine Paolini and Dayana Yastremska are also absent. Perhaps the most painful withdrawal is Victoria Mboko, who won the title in 2025 on home soil but now faces a steep ranking drop after pulling out due to a serious knee injury.
On the men's side, Ben Shelton arrives as defending champion with a golden opportunity to retain his title. TennisDraw users looking to submit bracket picks should factor in this unusually open draw before the tournament kicks off August 1st.
