Sinner, Djokovic withdraw from Montreal Masters

Jannik Sinner and Novak Djokovic have pulled out of next month’s ATP Montreal Masters, organizers Tennis Canada said Friday.

In a packed schedule, world number one Sinner and 24-time Grand Slam champion Djokovic both had deep runs at Wimbledon earlier this month, where Italian Sinner won the men’s title and Serbian Djokovic reached the semi-finals.

“After carefully considering all the factors together with my team, we have made the difficult decision to withdraw from Montreal,” Sinner said in a statement.

“It is never easy to miss such an important event, but we believe this is the right decision to prioritize my health.”

The Montreal men’s event, which takes place August 1-13, is an ATP Masters 1000 tournament, and a key pre-US Open stopping point.

The parallel women’s WTA 1000 tournament takes place this year in Toronto, with the two competitions switching between the cities on alternate years.

Organizers expressed disappointment at the last-minute withdrawals, noting that the two men also pulled out of last year’s event in Toronto.

“We respect their decisions and understand that, with such a demanding schedule, players’ health must remain the priority,” tournament director Valerie Tetreault said in a statement.

“That said, we believe the frequency of these last-minute withdrawals in the last few years raises a broader issue for our sport.”

“Masters 1000 events are among the flagship tournaments on the tour, and fans rightfully expect to see the world’s best compete.”

Tetreault said organizers are in discussions with the ATP over “adjustments” that are “needed in the near future to better protect the integrity of our Masters 1000 events while remaining mindful of the realities players face.”

World number two Alexander Zverev — this year’s French Open champion and Wimbledon finalist — is now expected to be the Montreal top seed, followed by Quebec native Felix Auger-Aliassime.

Third-ranked Spaniard Carlos Alcaraz had already withdrawn from Montreal over a lingering wrist injury.

He is targeting a return at the Cincinnati ATP Masters 1000 tournament, which begins immediately after Montreal.

The US Open, the year’s final Grand Slam, starts on August 30 in New York.