Canadian Open hit by mass withdrawals: Six top 20 players pull out of Toronto

The road to the US Open has hit a pothole north of the border.

This year’s Canadian Open in Toronto, officially known as the National Bank Open, has seen a dramatic shake-up before a single ball is struck.

Six players ranked inside the ATP top 20, all of whom would have been seeded, have officially withdrawn from the tournament, dealing a heavy blow to one of the tour’s premier Masters 1000 events.

Headlining the list of absentees are World No. 1 Jannik Sinner and No. 2 Carlos Alcaraz, both pulling out due to physical issues after a grueling stretch of the season.

Sinner cited an elbow injury following his Wimbledon triumph, while Alcaraz, who captured Roland Garros earlier this summer, withdrew citing fatigue. The Spaniard has played deep into multiple tournaments this year and has hinted at the need for rest ahead of the US Open swing.

Next on the list is World No. 5 Jack Draper, who has also withdrawn due to an arm injury. The British left-hander has been enjoying a breakthrough season, with strong results on both grass and hard courts. Draper’s absence is particularly unfortunate as he was poised to make a serious impact in what was shaping up to be one of the most open Masters draws of the season.

Then comes Novak Djokovic, the 24-time Grand Slam champion and current World No. 6. Djokovic withdrew from Toronto, citing a groin injury, continuing a pattern of physical challenges in the 2024 season.

The Serbian has not played the Canadian Open since 2018 and was already under scrutiny for skipping multiple hard-court events in recent years. His withdrawal means the draw loses not only a former champion but one of its most marketable names.

While those withdrawals had been confirmed earlier in the month, the latest blows came just this week with the exit of World No. 12 Tommy Paul and World No. 10 Grigor Dimitrov, who were both expected to be seeded.

Paul, the top-ranked American, pulled out without an official explanation, though reports suggest the move was precautionary after a grueling season and a turbulent time having his fair share of ups and downs. With the US Open looming, Paul appears to be managing his schedule conservatively.

Meanwhile, Grigor Dimitrov, pulled out due to a pectoral injury, the same one that forced him to retire mid-match against Sinner in the fourth round at Wimbledon. At the time, Dimitrov was leading by two sets and had looked poised to upset the eventual champion. The flare-up has not healed in time for Toronto, robbing the draw of one of its most experienced and in-form names.