The Canadian Open has faced a significant setback as top players Novak Djokovic, Carlos Alcaraz, and Iga Swiatek have announced their withdrawals from the event.
World No. 1 Iga Swiatek is the latest to pull out, following her bronze medal win at the 2024 Paris Olympics. Swiatek cited overall fatigue and the demanding schedule as reasons for her decision.
“I’m sorry to announce that due to overall fatigue caused by the last couple of weeks on the court, I need to withdraw from the tournament in Toronto,” Swiatek said via Tennis Canada. “With the intense tennis schedule and the Olympics this year, I need more time to rest and recover to be ready for the US swing in good health and at my best possible level.”
Additionally, World No. 10 and Wimbledon champion Barbora Krejcikova, who reached the quarter-finals at the Olympics in singles and doubles, has also withdrawn.
The WTA and ATP 1000 tournaments in Canada, set in Toronto and Montreal respectively from August 6-12, are feeling the impact of these high-profile absences. This year’s quick transition from the clay courts of Stade Roland Garros at the Paris Olympics to the hard courts of North America has proven challenging.
Swiatek and Krejcikova’s withdrawals add to a growing list of top players missing the WTA tournament in Toronto, including Elena Rybakina, Jasmine Paolini, Danielle Collins, and Maria Sakkari. Rybakina missed the Olympics due to acute bronchitis and has also pulled out of Toronto, while Paolini, Collins, and Sakkari all competed in Paris.
The ATP Masters 1000 tournament in Montreal has similarly been affected, with Djokovic and Alcaraz leading the list of notable absentees. Djokovic and Alcaraz, the ATP World No. 2 and 3, are set to face off in the gold medal match at the Olympics on Sunday, just two days before the Canadian Open begins.
Other withdrawals from the ATP event include Lorenzo Musetti, who was defeated by Djokovic in the semi-finals in Paris and will compete against Felix Auger-Aliassime for the bronze medal.
The absence of these star players casts a shadow over the Canadian Open, highlighting the challenges athletes face with tight schedules and frequent surface changes in a demanding Olympic year.
