The Canadian Open is facing a genuine identity crisis. Jannik Sinner, Novak Djokovic, and Carlos Alcaraz have all withdrawn from the Montreal Masters, continuing a troubling trend that has seen the event shed its star power considerably over recent seasons. Djokovic has not competed there since 2018, and the past two editions were claimed by Alexei Popyrin and Ben Shelton rather than the sport's biggest names.
Former coach Mark Petchey, who has worked with both Andy Murray and Emma Raducanu, appeared on The Big T Podcast and offered what he considers a straightforward solution. He believes the ATP should carve out a special exception allowing the Canadian Open to offer financial guarantees to top players, something currently prohibited at Masters 1000 level. The existing bonus pool structure, worth a total of $21.5 million, is designed to protect tournaments financially rather than reward players directly, and Petchey argues it simply is not enough to attract the elite names to Montreal.
Andrea Petkovic added another layer to the debate, pointing out that the men's season runs significantly longer than the women's, and that having both Montreal and Cincinnati scheduled back to back as two-week events creates an impossible workload. The expansion of most Masters events from seven to twelve days in 2025 has proven deeply unpopular with players across the board.
Ben Shelton, who is playing Washington before heading to Montreal, defended Sinner's absence, noting that the Italian has already contested 47 matches this season despite skipping multiple events. Shelton called sustainability the biggest concern, adding that top players simply do not skip tournaments without genuine reasons.
Sinner's withdrawal also carries a financial consequence, with his bonus pool earnings for 2026 set to be reduced by 25 percent. TennisDraw users tracking Sinner's bracket potential will want to watch closely as he targets Cincinnati and the US Open instead.
