Sinner and Djokovic withdraw from Montreal Masters, handing top seed to Zverev

Withdrawals confirmed

On Friday, July 24, tournament organizers announced that world No.1 Jannik Sinner and No.7 Novak Djokovic had pulled out of the ATP Masters 1000 in Montreal. Sinner, who had just captured his second consecutive Wimbledon title, said he needed to extend his rest period. Djokovic, a Wimbledon semi-finalist, continued his pattern of skipping non-Grand Slam events. Both players had also missed the Canadian Masters 1000 in 2025, when the tournament was staged in Toronto (the two cities alternate hosting duties).

After carefully evaluating all factors with my team, we made the difficult decision to withdraw from Montreal. It is never easy to miss such an important event, but we believe this is the right decision to prioritize my health. I am disappointed not to be there, but I look forward to returning to Montreal in the future.

Sinner's streak paused

Sinner entered the summer hard-court season on an extraordinary run: he had won all five ATP 1000 tournaments contested in 2026, and six in a row overall. His withdrawal means he will not attempt the rare calendar-year sweep of all nine Masters 1000 titles. The Italian had suffered a physical collapse in the second round of Roland Garros earlier this year but rebounded to dominate Wimbledon. He is expected to return at the Cincinnati Masters, which begins on August 13.

Djokovic's selective calendar

Djokovic, 39, has played only five tournaments in 2026, concentrating almost exclusively on the Grand Slams. His last appearance in Canada was in 2023. The Serbian's limited schedule has become a talking point as top players increasingly skip Masters 1000 events.

Alcaraz also absent

Carlos Alcaraz, the world No.2, had already withdrawn from Montreal. He has been sidelined since April with a wrist injury and missed both Roland Garros and Wimbledon. Alcaraz plans to make his comeback in Cincinnati, using the tournament as preparation for the US Open, which runs from August 31 to September 13.

Tournament director voices frustration

Valérie Tétreault, the director of the Canadian event, did not hide her disappointment. She said the frequency of late withdrawals is damaging the credibility of Masters 1000 tournaments.

Fans expect to see the best players in the world compete. We believe the frequency of these last-minute withdrawals in recent years raises a broader question for our sport. Masters 1000 tournaments are among the premier events on the circuit, and fans legitimately expect to see the world's best players facing off.

Tétreault added that organizers are in discussions with the ATP about adjustments needed to protect the integrity of Masters 1000 events while accounting for the realities players face.

Draw reshuffled

With the top three players absent, Germany's Alexander Zverev becomes the top seed in Montreal. Canada's Felix Auger-Aliassime moves up to the second seed. The Italian contingent remains strong: Flavio Cobolli, Lorenzo Musetti, Luciano Darderi, Matteo Arnaldi, Matteo Berrettini, Mattia Bellucci, and Lorenzo Sonego are all on the entry list.

The Montreal tournament runs from August 1 to 13. The tennis calendar then shifts to Cincinnati, followed by the US Open in New York.