Jannik Sinner's withdrawal from the Canadian Open in Montreal has sparked plenty of debate across the tennis world, and four-time Grand Slam champion Kim Clijsters has added a thought-provoking perspective to the conversation.
Speaking on her podcast Love All, Clijsters suggested that Sinner's decision to pull out may point to more than just routine fatigue. She noted that there could be something happening behind the scenes, indicating he might not be fully prepared, physically or mentally, to compete at the highest level so soon after claiming the Wimbledon title. The Belgian stressed that these tournaments demand an enormous amount of energy, with intense matches compressed into a relatively short window.
Despite those concerns, Clijsters ultimately backed the call as a wise one. She pointed to the US Open as the obvious priority, arguing that chasing additional Masters titles at the risk of burnout would be a distraction from the bigger prize. She also credited Sinner's team, including coach Darren Cahill, for being thorough and deliberate in their planning.
The withdrawal does end any slim chance Sinner had of winning every Masters event in a single calendar year, a remarkable feat that had been in play. Fellow Italian Fabio Fognini publicly supported the decision, though others have questioned it, pointing out that Sinner has played sparingly since his Roland Garros exit earlier this summer.
Sinner is expected to return at the Cincinnati Open, beginning August 11th, before targeting the US Open. It is worth noting that he reached the final at both events previously, losing on both occasions to Carlos Alcaraz.
TennisDraw users tracking Sinner's tournament availability will want to update their US Open bracket picks accordingly as his preparations come into focus.
