Top Players Withdraw from Canadian Open Ahead of US Open
Carlos Alcaraz is the latest among several top-ranked men's players to pull out of the Canadian Open, joining Jannik Sinner, Novak Djokovic, and Jack Draper on the sidelines.
The athletes are opting out of the Toronto event, which begins on Saturday, to rest and recover from injuries before the season's final Grand Slam, the US Open, starting on 25 August in New York.
Alcaraz, who lost to Sinner in the Wimbledon final nine days ago, apologized to supporters in a social media post: “I won’t be able to play in Toronto this year due to minor muscle issues. I need to regain my physical and mental strength for what’s ahead. To the tournament and my fans in Canada, I’m sorry—I’ll see you next year.”
Draper also announced his absence from the Cincinnati Open, starting 5 August, due to a left arm injury sustained after Wimbledon. “It’s not serious, but I must ensure full recovery for the rest of the season. Unfortunately, I can’t compete in Toronto or Cincinnati… See you in New York!”
Sinner is resting to protect his elbow after a fall during his Wimbledon fourth-round match against Grigor Dimitrov. Djokovic, dealing with persistent injuries throughout the tournament, will skip Toronto primarily due to a groin issue.
With these withdrawals, world No. 3 Alexander Zverev and No. 4 Taylor Fritz are expected to lead the field in Toronto.
Several players have criticized the scheduling on both the ATP and WTA tours. Earlier this year, the Professional Tennis Players’ Association (PTPA), co-founded by Djokovic, initiated legal action against tennis governing bodies in the US, UK, and EU, claiming to represent player interests.
On 26 June, the PTPA filed an updated complaint, excluding the ITF and ITIA and focusing solely on the ATP and WTA, despite ongoing discussions with all four Grand Slam tournaments.
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