Jannik Sinner’s decision to withdraw from the Canadian Open has caused mass debate about the tournament, the schedule, and the implementation of the two-week Masters format.
Many pundits and former professionals have backed Sinner’s decision to miss the Montreal event for a second consecutive years, while there is more of an air of disappointment with fans.
Fans are not only upset they will not get to see Sinner in action, but that he won’t be able to become the first player in tennis history to claim every Masters event in the calendar year.
The Canadian Open could have been Sinner’s sixth Masters event in a row in 2026, with just three more to claim in the rest of the year, but that will no longer happen.
As the debate rumbles on, Rennae Stubbs has had her say on Sinner’s decision to miss the Masters event.
More Jannik Sinner news
Jannik Sinner ‘right to save himself’, but ‘in my time Roger, Rafa, Nole didn’t skip big events’
The Canadian Open claimed to not care about Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner’s withdrawals
Speaking on The Rennae Stubbs Tennis Podcast, the Grand Slam champion said: “I don’t blame Jannik for not playing. It was a bear of a schedule for him, doing what he did.
“He played all those clay court tournaments, lost that really tough match at the French, then goes and wins Wimbledon. He does not play anything prior. Maybe he learnt a lesson about the load of tennis which he did before the French.
“Then people have the audacity to be like he has an opportunity to win all the Masters 1000 this year, why wouldn’t he do it? “Do you think he cares about that? He has so many records now for being the youngest to do this and that. He has just won Wimbledon.
“His only thinking right now is how can I win the US Open, so not playing in Canada clearly opens up the book a little bit for him to get the rest that he needs then do the work load in Cincinnati.”
It’s worth noting that Sinner also withdrew from the Canadian Open last year and it did not result in a tournament victory on the North American hardcourt swing.
The world No 1 exited the Cincinnati Open in the final after he retired in his match against Carlos Alcaraz due to illness, when he was 5-0 down in the first set.
Sinner went on to reach the final of the US Open following the Cincinnati event, but he faced the same result against Alcaraz in the final at Flushing Meadows.
The star will be hoping his decision to miss the Canadian Open this year will prove more fruitful for him.
The post Serena Williams’ coach issues strong message to Jannik Sinner’s critics after Canadian Open withdrawal appeared first on Tennis365.
Leave a Reply