The North American hardcourt swing is almost upon us, but the Washington Open is already dealing with a notable absentee list. Felix Auger-Aliassime and Daniil Medvedev have both withdrawn from the ATP 500 event, meaning only Alex de Minaur and Taylor Fritz will represent the top 10 in the US capital this week.
The Washington Open traditionally serves as a crucial warm-up before a loaded six-week run that includes the Canadian Open, the Cincinnati Open, and the US Open. With so much at stake down the road, it is not entirely surprising that some players are choosing to skip Washington and arrive fresher for the bigger events ahead.
Beyond the main draw departures, qualifying has also taken a significant hit. Mattia Bellucci, Luca Van Assche, Adam Walton, and Eliot Spizzirri have all been confirmed as withdrawals from qualifying, along with Arthur Fery, whose absence is particularly eye-catching given his sensational run to the Wimbledon semifinals just weeks ago.
Fery, however, had already hinted that Washington was not on his radar. Speaking after his Wimbledon heroics, the British rising star confirmed that Cincinnati, Winston-Salem, and the US Open were his primary targets for the American swing. He also noted his hopes of securing a seeding at the US Open, acknowledging that the entry list was imminent and that his ranking could potentially place him inside the top 32, especially with further withdrawals in play.
"Being seeded obviously protects you a little bit from the top guys," Fery said, before adding that reaching the main draw directly through his ranking alone felt like a milestone in itself.
With so many big names absent, Washington is shaping up as a prime opportunity for a breakout performance, and TennisDraw users will want to study the thinned-out draw carefully before locking in their bracket picks.
