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Taylor Fritz has called for the tennis season to be shortened as he reacted to the host of big-name withdrawals from the 2025 Canadian Open.

Jannik Sinner, Carlos Alcaraz, Jack Draper and Novak Djokovic — four of the top six players in the ATP Rankings — have pulled out of the Masters event in Toronto. Sebastian Korda, Hubert Hurkacz and Jordan Thompson have also withdrawn from the tournament.

World No 3 Alexander Zverev is set to be the top seed in Canada, while fourth-ranked Fritz is projected to be seeded second. Lorenzo Musetti and Ben Shelton, who are ranked seventh and eighth, will be seeded third and fourth respectively.

Prior to his appearance at the ATP 500 event in Washington, Fritz labelled the tennis schedule “insane.”

“Yeah, I think, I mean, probably pretty much all the players for a long time have been asking for the season to be shorter, but all we are doing is just lengthening it, adding more stuff, we’re adding more, like, longer tournaments,” the American said.

“The Hopman Cup was after Wimbledon. I didn’t even know this was going on. They had an event with Felix [Auger-Aliassime] and [Flavio] Cobolli playing a tournament right after Wimbledon and one of them is coming and playing here. It’s insane, we are just adding stuff to the calendar over and over again.

“I think they shortened parts to obviously give themselves an extra week to do this, to make it the three weeks between the two tournaments (Wimbledon and Canada).

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“I think it’s funny how we can shorten, we find ways to shorten the schedule to make room for other tournaments, but we can’t find room to shorten the schedule just for there to be nothing.

“I’d love to see it go back to just two weeks and maybe we can have an extra — can shorten the season a week. I don’t know. But it’s a lot of tennis. It’s a lot of tennis upcoming.”

On the controversial 12-day Masters 1000 format, the 27-year-old added: “To be honest, I am complaining about the length of the two-week tournaments, but at the same time, I don’t dislike playing a match and having a day off and playing a match.

“It’s weird. It’s just kind of like kind of, like, mindset and feeling I’m in. Some weeks I might prefer just to go all at once, and some weeks I might prefer to have a day off after my matches.”

Fritz will face world No 105 Aleksandar Vukic in his opening match at the Citi Open.

READ NEXT: ATP Canadian Open entry list: Alcaraz, Sinner, Djokovic lead big withdrawals

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The hard-court summer is underway, and the first WTA 1000 event of the swing starts in less than a week.

The IGA Stadium in Montreal will play host to the Canadian Open women’s singles event this coming week, with action starting on July 27th.

Here, we look at who will be in action over the coming fortnight.

Who is out?

The biggest name not in action is world No 1 Aryna Sabalenka, who confirmed last week she would not be in action after a heavy load of matches across the first half of the season.

World No 10 Paula Badosa has also withdrawn due to recurring injury issues, while world No 6 Zheng Qinwen has pulled out after elbow surgery last week.

Former world No 2 Ons Jabeur will not be in action after confirming her intention to take a break from professional tennis, while Donna Vekic and Sonay Kartal have also withdrawn.

The top seeds

In the absence of world No 1 Sabalenka, world No 2 Coco Gauff is set to be the top seed, in the American’s first tournament since her shock round-one defeat at Wimbledon.

Meanwhile, world No 3 Iga Swiatek is currently set to return to action as the second seed in her first tournament since claiming her sixth Grand Slam title at the All England Club.

World No 4 and two-time defending champion Jessica Pegula is set to be the third seed, with world No 5 Mirra Andreeva set to be seeded fourth.

2024 runner-up Amanda Anisimova and Madison Keys are set to be the fifth and sixth seeds, respectively, with Jasmine Paolini seeded seventh and Emma Navarro seeded eighth.

Who else is entered?

Outside of the top eight seeds, there are plenty of big names in action.

Elena Rybakina and Elina Svitolina are set to be the ninth and 10th seeds, respectively, while Karolina Muchova, Ekaterina Alexandrova, and Daria Kasatkina are also inside the top 16 seeds in Montreal.

Recent Wimbledon semi-finalist Belinda Bencic is set to be the 17th seed, with former Grand Slam champions Jelena Ostapenko and Sofia Kenin seeded 23rd and 24th, respectively.

Outside of the seeded players, this year marks the return of Emma Raducanu to Canadian Open action.

The Brit made her event debut in 2022, though she missed 2023 due to injury and 2024 due to a scheduling change.

Also among the notable unseeded players are four-time Grand Slam singles champion and former world No 1 Naomi Osaka, and rising star Alex Eala – who will make her event debut inside the IGA Stadium.

The tournament has also awarded a wildcard to former world No 5 Eugenie Bouchard, with the 31-year-old announcing she will retire at her home event this week.

2019 US Open champion and former world No 4 Bianca Andreescu also receives a wildcard into her home event, as does rising Canadian star Victoria Mboko.

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Canadian Open Entry List (as of July 22, 2025)

1) Coco Gauff
2) Iga Swiatek
3) Jessica Pegula
4) Mirra Andreeva
5) Amanda Anisimova
6) Madison Keys
7) Jasmine Paolini
8) Emma Navarro
9) Elena Rybakina
10) Elina Svitolina
11) Karolina Muchova
12) Ekaterina Alexandrova
13) Liudmila Samsonova
14) Diana Shnaider
15) Daria Kasatkina
16) Clara Tauson
17) Belinda Bencic
18) Beatriz Haddad Maia
19) Elise Mertens
20) Linda Noskova
21) Magdalena Frech
22) Jelena Ostapenko
23) Sofia Kenin
24) Marta Kostyuk
25) Magda Linette
26) Ashlyn Krueger
27) Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova
28) McCartney Kessler
29) Olga Danilovic
30) Dayana Yastremska
31) Rebecca Sramkova
32) Peyton Stearns
Leylah Fernandez
Anna Kalinskaya
Emma Raducanu
Maya Joint
Dayana Yastremska
Katie Boulter
Anastasia Potapova
Maria Tatjana
Veronika Kudermetova
Lulu Sun
Marie Bouzkova
Elina Avanesyan
Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova
Jaqueline Cristian
Naomi Osaka
Danielle Collins
Hailey Baptiste
Alex Eala
Camila Osorio
Elena-Gabriela Ruse
Alycia Parks
Eva Lys
Jessica Bouzas Maneiro
Lucia Bronzetti
Polina Kudermetova
Ann Li
Lois Boisson
Caroline Dolehide
Yuliia Starodubtseva
Barbora Krejcikova
Suzan Lamens
Renata Zarazua
Moyuka Uchijima
Emiliana Arango
Kimberly Birrell
Yulia Putintseva
Wang Xinyu
(PR) Marketa Vondrousova
(PR) Sorana Cirstea
(PR) Lin Zhu
(PR) Anastasija Sevastova
(PR) Caty McNally
(WC) Bianca Andreesca
(WC) Eugenie Bouchard
(WC) Carson Branstine
(WC) Kayla Cross
(WC) Elizabeth Mandlik
(WC) Rebecca Marino
(WC) Victoria Mboko
(WC) Marina Stakusic
Remaining players to enter through qualifying draw

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Carlos Alcaraz has confirmed his withdrawal from the 2025 Canadian Open and outlined the reason for his decision.

The ATP Masters 1000 tournament in Toronto will begin on July 27 — just two weeks after Alcaraz‘s four-set loss to world No 1 Jannik Sinner in the Wimbledon final.

In a post on X, Alcaraz wrote: “After many consecutive weeks of competition without rest, I will not be able to play in Toronto this year.

“I have small muscles issues and I need to recover physically and mentally for what comes next. To the tournament and to my fans in Canada I am very sorry, I will see you next year!”

The world No 2 also missed the 2024 Canadian Open in Montreal, which was played directly after the Paris Olympics.

This year’s Canadian Open will be the first edition of the event held over the two-week (12 day), 96-player format that the ATP Tour has implemented at seven of the nine Masters tournaments.

Prior to the changes, seven of the nine Masters tournaments were played over a single week and featured 56-player singles draws.

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Alcaraz is one of several high-profile players who has criticised the expanded Masters 1000 format.

In April, the Spaniard said: “The one week ones are better. Some will think that in two weeks there are days of rest, but that is not the case.

“You train, you have to mentally prepare for the game, prepare for it… you’re not resting, really. It’s two full weeks. That’s why I prefer the one-week Masters 1000. For me, it’s better for tennis.”

Alcaraz’s withdrawal means four of the top six players in the world will be absent from the event after Sinner, Novak Djokovic and Jack Draper also pulled out.

In a statement, Sinner said: “I’m really disappointed to be missing the National Bank Open in Toronto, especially as I have such fond memories of playing in Canada.

“Winning that title in Toronto two years ago was the start of a really special moment for me, but after speaking with my team, I have to prioritise my health.

“I would like to thank Karl Hale, the Tournament Director, for everything he does and I’m looking forward to returning to Canada and Toronto in the future to play in front of the great fans.”

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The post Carlos Alcaraz apologises to fans as he reveals reason for key schedule decision appeared first on Tennis365.

Emma Raducanu got her US hard court campaign off to a nervy start with what ultimately proved to be an impressive win alongside former Wimbledon champion Elena Rybakina in Washington.

Raducanu has limited doubles experience an admitted she has limited knowledge was a concern when she teamed up with fellow Brit Katie Boulter in the WTA 500 event at the Queen’s Club last month.

The Raducanu/Boulter pairing won a match in that tournament and now the intriguing pairing with Rybakina has produced an opening victory, as they beat the experienced doubles duo of Britain’s Olivia Nicholls and Czechia’s Tereza Mihalikova.

Raducanu and Rybakina were an eye-catching team entering the Washington draw and while they have no experience playing together, they found a way to win 2-6, 7-6(4), 11-9.

That scoreline only tells part of the story as Raducanu and Rybakina were 9-5 up in the decisive championship tie-break and were pulled back to 9-9 before pushing over the winning line.

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The duo shared an embrace as the final point was won, with a big crowd watching the high-profile duo team up.

It was a positive sign that Raducanu entered the doubles in Washington, as it suggests the back problems that have hampered her since a defeat against Danielle Collins on clay in Strasbourg in May are not concerning her.

The doubles experience will also be welcome before her eagerly anticipated partnership with world No 2 Carlos Alcaraz in the revamped mixed doubles at the US Open next month.

Raducanu will play her first singles match in Washington on Tuesday, when she takes on Ukraine’s Marta Kostyuk and former British No 1 Tim Henman believes the 22-year-old is in a good place as she looks to make an impression on hard courts leading up to the US Open.

After reaching the quarter-finals at the new WTA 500 tournament at the Queen’s Club, Raducanu pushed world No 1 Aryna Sabalenka in the third round at Wimbledon and Henman believes she is now maturing into a player ready to compete at the top of the women’s game.

“She’s a much better player than she was in 2021 because she’s had four more years of experience and now she’s started to build more of a team around her,” Henman told Sky Sports News.

“She’s been competing so much more this year, which therefore emphasises the physical resilience that she’s got because she was always getting injuries.

”So I just hope she can continue in that vein because if she keeps doing the right things on the practice court, the results will come on the match because she’s that good a player. And I think it was great to see her on the biggest stage in our sport against the number one player in the world.

“She had a really good chance to win that match and I’m sure that will motivate her now moving onto the hardcourt swing in America to keep building.”

Raducanu has a big chance to get close to a seeded position in the top 32 of the WTA Rankings ahead of the US Open if she can put some solid wins together in Washington and then at the WTA 1000 events in Montreal and Cincinnati.

READ NEXT: Emma Raducanu gets a massive rankings chance as a top 20 return is within reach

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Holger Rune says that he reached out to Andre Agassi for some ‘extra input’, and feels that he can reach the world No 1 spot, challenging Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz.

The former world No 4 is next scheduled to participate at Citi DC Open, an ATP 500 tournament, and was intriguingly spotted practising whilst being watched by eight-time Grand Slam champion Andre Agassi.

Rune is currently coached by Kenneth Carlsen and Lars Christensen, whilst Patrick Mouratoglou was formerly part of the team.

“I reached out to him [Agassi] some months ago,” Rune said to Tennis.com, on the eve of the Washington event.

“He’s an amazing man, first of all, and he’s very wise, as well. He sees the game in a unique way that I’ve never experienced before.

“I thought now was a good moment to reach out to Agassi because my base is back and I’m playing well again. When you’re changing coaches a lot, you don’t play as well because you’re not following one opinion or a single structure.

“I thought this was the right time to get some extra input. It’s not anything magic, but he obviously had some very wise words I can use.”

The Dane has struggled for form in the last 18 months, with his season highlight occurring through reaching the showpiece match at the Indian Wells Masters – losing out to Jack Draper.

Rune reached the fourth round at both the Australian Open and the French Open, before being defeated by Nicholas Jarry in his first match at Wimbledon.

“If you’re happy to stick around and be No. 5, 10, 15, or 20 in the world, some players can do that without doing more. My goal was always to be No. 1; it still is, and I believe I can do it,” Rune adamantly stated.

“I also believe there’s a few things I need to do differently. That’s one of the reasons why I reached out to Andre, to hear his point of view.”

Rune is just one month older than world No 2 Carlos Alcaraz and nearly two years younger than world No 1 Jannik Sinner.

Despite the comparable age, their results in the Grand Slams have been anything but, with the Spaniard and Italian winning all of the last seven Grand Slams – clashing in both the French Open and Wimbledon final this season.

Rune, as ever, is not one to be easily disheartened by relatively poor results and, instead, has a strong conviction that his level is ‘not far away’ from the world’s two best players.

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“I think [the gap] is very distant for some, but for some others, they’re not that far away [from Sinner and Alcaraz],” Rune analysed.

“I’m going to include myself when I say we’re not that far away. I see my high end of tennis to be really, really high, so I just have to lift the button, really, and stay more consistent to win more matches. I do need to stop feeling like I need to play spectacular tennis all the time to beat them.”

At the moment, Rune fills the world No 8 spot and is more than 6300 points behind Alcaraz – with Sinner 8500 ahead.

The post Holger Rune reveals details behind Andre Agassi collaboration, believes he can become world No 1 appeared first on Tennis365.

The 2025 Canadian Open has been rocked by another huge blow as Carlos Alcaraz is reportedly the fourth star name to pull out of the event.

It was confirmed on Sunday that Jannik Sinner, Novak Djokovic and Jack Draper have all withdrawn from the Masters 1000 event in Toronto.

According to a report by Spanish newspaper Marca, Alcaraz will join that trio by skipping the Canadian Open, which will be held from July 27 to August 7.

The world No 2 was beaten in four sets by Jannik Sinner in the Wimbledon final earlier this month — a loss that snapped his 24-match win streak.

The five-time Grand Slam champion is expected to return to action at the Masters 1000 event in Cincinnati, which begins on August 8.

Alcaraz also missed the 2024 edition of the Canada Masters in Montreal, which was staged after the Olympic Games in Paris.

Alex Corretja, a Spanish tennis great and renowned analyst, recently urged Alcaraz not to play in Canada.

“I never interfere in the schedule my great friend Juan Carlos Ferrero decides with Carlos Alcaraz, but I just hope he doesn’t go to Toronto,” the two-time French Open runner-up and former world No 2 told Carrusel Deportivo.

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“I say this with all the affection and respect for the Canadian tournament. But I think Alcaraz would need to recover from all these efforts now.

“We’re not talking about whether he won the Wimbledon final or lost it. We’re talking about the fact that he’s been in London for a month, that he won Queens.

“All of that takes its toll, and the surface changes, press conferences, doping controls, now a hotel, then a plane…

“All of this is very tiring. I think Carlos Alcaraz needs a bit of rest right now, so that in the second half of the season, when he sometimes loses some steam, he doesn’t really end up feeling so weak for the rest of the season.

“They should seriously consider what they have to do, and whatever they decide will be fine because they are the team. But from the outside, I think, please don’t let him go.”

In the absence of Sinner, Alcaraz, Draper and Djokovic, the top four seeds in Toronto are set to be Alexander Zverev, Taylor Fritz, Lorenzo Musetti and Ben Shelton.

READ NEXT: Watch: Carlos Alcaraz’s younger brother Jaime highlights his potential as training footage is revealed

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The latest edition of the ATP Rankings is out, and Novak Djokovic has reached yet another remarkable milestone.

Djokovic, who was beaten by Jannik Sinner in the Wimbledon semi-finals in his most recent match, has entered his 900th week in the top 10 of the rankings.

The Serbian, currently ranked sixth, holds the record for the most weeks spent as the ATP world No 1 with 428.

The only men to hold a position in the top 10 for more weeks than Djokovic are his greatest rivals: Roger Federer (968) and Rafael Nadal (912).

Djokovic is currently on a streak of 345 straight weeks in the top 10 — a run that began in July 2018. The 38-year-old amassed his other 555 weeks as a top 10 player consecutively between March 2007 and November 2017.

In the week after Wimbledon, there were ATP 250 tournaments in Los Cabos (hard-court), Bastad and Gstaad (both clay).

Andrey Rublev (Los Cabos), Casper Ruud (Gstaad) and Francisco Cerundolo (Bastad) were the only top 20 players in action, but none went beyond the semi-finals at their respective events.

Former world No 10 Denis Shapovalov has jumped five places from 33rd to 28th after defeating Aleksandar Kovacevic in the Los Cabos final. Kovacevic has climbed from 76th to 66th.

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Alexander Bublik was the champion in Gstaad, where he overcame Juan Manuel Cerundolo in the championship match. Bublik has moved up four places to 30th, while Cerdundolo has surged 28 spots to 81st — two below his career-high of 79th.

At the Swedish Open, Luciano Darderi saw off Jesper de Jong, a triumph that has lifted him from 55th to 46th. For reaching his first ATP final, de Jong has been rewarded with a new career-high ranking of 83rd (+23 from 106th).

Ben Shelton has reached a new career-best of world No 8 despite not playing last week as Holger Rune has fallen to ninth after losing the points from his Hamburg Open quarter-final run in 2024.

Arthur Fils has fallen out of the top 20, sliding from 15th to 21st, as he has dropped the 500 points from his Hamburg title last year. Zverev, who was a 2024 Hamburg runner-up, has lost 280 points but remains the world No 3.

ATP Rankings Top 20 (July 21, 2025)

1) Jannik Sinner, 12,030
2) Carlos Alcaraz, 8,600
3) Alexander Zverev, 6,030
4) Taylor Fritz, 5,035
5) Jack Draper, 4,650
6) Novak Djokovic, 4,130
7) Lorenzo Musetti, 3,350
8) Ben Shelton, 3,330 (+1)
9) Holger Rune, 3,250 (-1)
10) Andrey Rublev, 3,160
11) Frances Tiafoe, 2,940
12) Casper Ruud, 2,905 (+1)
13) Alex de Minaur, 2,885 (-1)
14) Daniil Medvedev, 2,630
15) Tommy Paul, 2,620 (+1)
16) Karen Khachanov, 2,590 (+1)
17) Jakub Mensik, 2,446 (+1)
18) Flavio Cobolli, 2,360 (+1)
19) Francisco Cerundolo, 2,285 (+1)
20) Grigor Dimitrov, 2,155 (+1)

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The biggest names on the WTA Tour did not compete in the week after Wimbledon, but there have still been some significant changes further down the rankings.

Aryna Sabalenka retains a huge lead at the top as she enters her 39th consecutive week as the world No 1 and 47th overall.

The clay-court WTA 250s in Hamburg and Iasi were the only events staged on the main women’s tour last week.

Lois Boisson‘s stunning run to the 2025 French Open semi-finals as a wildcard saw her surge almost 300 places to 65th in the rankings.

The Frenchwoman has continued her rise by securing her maiden WTA Tour title at the Hamburg Open.

The 22-year-old, who was seeded fifth after accepting a wildcard, dropped just a single set in her five victories in Germany.

With the 250 points earned for her triumph, Boisson has broken into the top 50 for the first time, climbing from 63rd to 44th place.

Anna Bondar, who was beaten 7-5, 6-3 by Boisson in the Hamburg final, has jumped 18 places from 77th to 59th.

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Dayana Yastremska, who fell to Boisson in the semi-finals, is up six spots from 39th to 33rd.

Kaya Juvan also made the last four, and this run has seen her move up 41 positions from 207th to 166th.

Romania’s Irina-Camelia Begu ensured there was a home champion at the Iasi Open as she downed Jil Teichmann 6-0, 7-5 in the title match.

Begu’s victory lifted her from 110th to 82nd, while Teichmann has moved from 102nd to 80th.

Alex Eala has fallen from 56th to 69th after dropping the 100 points from her title at the ITF event in Vitoria-Gazteiz in 2024. This is the biggest drop among top 100 players this week.

Diane Parry has dropped out of the top 100, falling from 98th to 110th.

WTA Rankings Top 20

1. Aryna Sabalenka – 12,420
2. Coco Gauff, United States – 7,669
3. Iga Swiatek, Poland – 6,813
4. Jessica Pegula, United States – 6,423
5. Mirra Andreeva – 5,163
6. Zheng Qinwen, China – 4,553
7. Amanda Anisimova, United States – 4,470
8. Madison Keys, United States – 4,374
9. Jasmine Paolini, Italy – 3,576
10. Paula Badosa, Spain – 3,454
11. Emma Navarro, United States – 3,420
12. Elena Rybakina, Kazakhstan – 2,806 (+1)
13. Elina Svitolina, Ukraine – 2,794 (+1)
14. Karolina Muchova, Czech Republic – 2,718 (-2)
15. Ekaterina Alexandrova – 2,666 (+1)
16. Liudmila Samsonova – 2,576 (+1)
17. Diana Shnaider – 2,526 (-2)
18. Daria Kasatkina, Australia – 2,361
19. Clara Tauson, Denmark – 2,292
20. Belinda Bencic, Switzerland – 2,190

READ NEXT: Emma Raducanu gets a massive rankings chance as a top 20 return is within reach

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The grass court season is over for another year and we are about to kick-start the countdown to next month’s US Open.

Iga Swiatek and Jannik Sinner were the big winners at Wimbledon this year as they carried off the big titles at the All England Club and those two will be the players to beat as they hit the hard courts in Canada and America over the next few weeks.

World No 1’s Sinner and Aryna Sabalenka have plenty of ranking points to defend after their stellar form at this time last season and here are our Tennis365 predictions for the upcoming hard court season.

Sinner under threat

Even after his three-month doping suspension, Sinner has been dominant at the top of the world rankings over the last year, but he could face his first big threats to that position over the next few weeks.

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The Italian has 3,200 ranking points to defend in this spell of the season after his wins at the ATP 1000 event in Cincinnati was backed up by his US Open success a few weeks later.

World No 2 Carlos Alcaraz may be eyeing up a chance to trim Sinner’s lead in the race for finish the year at the top of the rankings as he has limited points to defend after disappointing early exits in Cincinnati and the US Open last year.

After confirming he has pulled out of the ATP 1000 event in Montreal, presumably due to the elbow problem he suffered at Wimbledon, he will have limited time on hard courts as he headi the Cincinnati Masters next month.

It all means Alcaraz should only be able to gain ground on his big rival over the next few weeks in the ATP rankings, as their compelling rivalry continues.

Verdict: Sinner is in a league of his own and will defend his US Open title.

Raducanu and Eala to make a rise

Bizarrely, Emma Raducanu played just one tournament between Wimbledon and the US Open last year, with her first round exit at Flushing Meadows ensuring she has plenty of ranking points to chase over the next few weeks.

A handful of wins could give Raducanu up to 1,000 ranking points across the WTA 1000 events in Montreal, Cincinnati and the US Open.

If she could add that kind of total to her current rankings tally, she could be back in the top 20 of the world rankings by the end of the final Grand Slam of the year.

Alex Eala also has a big chance to make ground over the next few weeks, as the trailblazer from the Philippines star was playing lower-ranked events this time last year and some wins over the next month will fire her rapidly up the rankings.

Verdict: If she stays fit, Raducanu will be back in the top 20 of the WTA Rankings by the end of the year.

Swiatek vs Sabelanka

The two players considered by many observers to be the best in the women’s game could renew their rivalry after Swiatek’s impressive Wimbledon win.

Iga’s slide in form saw her drop down to No 8 in the rankings ahead of her sixth Grand Slam win, but she is back up to No 3 and will be eyeing a second US Open win next month.

She also has a chance to collect plenty of ranking points over the next few weeks, after disappointing displays in America following her draining experience at the Olympic Games last summer.

Sabalenka has been taking some time away from tennis to reflect on a challenging start to the year, with heartbreaking defeats in two Grand Slam finals in Australia and France backed up by a Wimbledon semi-final exit.

Sabalenka will not want this year to end without another major title coming her way, so expect her to be fired up for the US Open.

Verdict: Sabalanka to bounce back and win in New York.

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Novak Djokovic, Jannik Sinner, and Jack Draper have sparked injury concerns after withdrawing from the upcoming Canadian Masters.

Whilst withdrawals from the sixth Masters 1000 of the season are not rare – considering their place in the post-Wimbledon calendar – the latest news will be a significant blow for organisers.

To make matters potentially trickier for players, both the Canadian Masters and the Cincinnati Masters are now two-week events, with participants having a day off between matches, but within a further expanded draw.

The 24-time Grand Slam champion recently exited Wimbledon looking severely compromised in a 6-3, 6-3, 6-4 loss to Jannik Sinner in the semi-finals of Wimbledon.

Djokovic suffered a nasty slip on match point against Flavio Cobolli in the round prior, but was unwilling to detail specifics about the true extent of what appeared to be a hip or upper-leg issue.

“Honestly, it wasn’t really a pleasant feeling on the court,” said Djokovic, after his loss fifth-consecutive loss to Sinner

“I don’t want to talk, in details, about my injury and just whine about not managing to play my best. I want to congratulate Jannik for another great performance. That’s it. He’s in the finals. He was too strong.

“I do feel disappointed that I just wasn’t able to move as well as I thought or hoped that I would.

“It’s just age, the wear and tear of the body. As much as I’m taking care of it, the reality hits me right now, last year and a half, like never before, to be honest.”

The Serbian superstar hasn’t competed in Canada since 2018.

Meanwhile, Sinner – who recently lifted his first Wimbledon title – also made the decision to skip the event, where he is a former champion (2023).

Whilst the world’s best player looked in scintillating form for much of the grass-court Grand Slam, he did suffer from elbow discomfort during his fourth-round and quarter-final matches, wearing an arm sleeve for the remainder of the tournament.

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Draper went one step further than the Serb and Italian, withdrawing from both the Canadian and Cincinnati Masters, but added that he expects to be ready for the final Grand Slam of the season.

“After Wimbledon I picked up an injury in my left arm, nothing serious, but I have to make sure it recovers fully for the rest of the season,” the British No 1 said on X.

“Unfortunately, I won’t be able to compete in Toronto and Cincinnati. See you in NYC!”

Draper, most recently, crashed out in the second round of Wimbledon to Marin Cilic in a 6-4, 6-4, 1-6, 6-4 match after reaching the last four at the ATP 500 event in Queen’s.

Whilst the specifics of the arm issue aren’t known, the drastic move to withdraw from both Masters 1000 events has led to growing speculation about what his preparation will, ultimately, look like.

Carlos Alcaraz and Alexander Zverev will lead the tournament as the top seeds, with Taylor Fritz, Lorenzo Musetti and Holger Rune also competing for the title from July 27 to August 7.

The post Canadian Masters suffers major blow as Novak Djokovic, Jack Draper, and Jannik Sinner withdrawals spark big injury concerns appeared first on Tennis365.