Top stars skip Canada again as brutal tennis calendar takes its toll

The grind of the tennis calendar keeps claiming victims, and few tournaments have suffered more than the Canadian Masters 1000. Once a marquee stop on the summer hard‑court swing, it has increasingly become the event top players feel they can afford to skip.

And in 2026, nothing has changed: the two‑week tournament model remains, rest windows haven’t expanded, and the sport’s biggest names continue to turn their backs on Canada. This year, that includes Jannik Sinner and Novak Djokovic.

The National Bank Open — held in Montreal this year from August 2 to 13 — announced the withdrawals in a brief statement: “Jannik Sinner and Novak Djokovic have withdrawn… Félix Auger‑Aliassime will be the No. 2 seed.”

Also missing is Carlos Alcaraz, still sidelined with a right‑wrist injury. That means the three biggest ATP stars won’t set foot in Canada.

A growing trend: Canada gets left behind

Skipping the Canadian Masters has become a pattern, especially among top‑tier players who prefer to extend their post‑Wimbledon break.

With Wimbledon wrapping up on July 12, transitioning from grass to hard courts requires jumping straight back into training — essentially sacrificing vacation time. More and more ATP heavyweights choose instead to start their U.S. hard‑court season at the Cincinnati Masters (August 13–23), using that event as their launchpad toward the US Open (August 30–September 13).

Recent years tell the same story

Last year, only five top‑10 players competed in Toronto. Alcaraz, Sinner, and Djokovic all skipped it, and Ben Shelton walked away with the first — and so far only — Masters 1000 title of his career. In 2024, Alcaraz and Djokovic stayed away again, while Sinner did play, though Alexei Popyrin stunned the field to win the trophy.

Alcaraz’s last appearance in Canada came in 2023, when he lost to Sinner — back before the Italian fully hit his stride.

The calendar keeps squeezing the stars

The ATP schedule continues to push players to their limits, and the Canadian Masters remains one of the tournaments most affected by the collateral damage. As long as the sport insists on two‑week events and minimal rest periods, Canada may keep finding itself on the wrong side of the stars’ priorities.

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