Changes called for as Sinner and Djokovic withdraw

The tournament director of the Canadian Open says changes need to be made to the "demanding schedule" of players after Jannik Sinner and Novak Djokovic pulled out of the Masters 1000 event.

Sinner, who beat Alexander Zverev to win the Wimbledon title this month, said he had withdrawn from the ATP tournament, which takes place from 2-13 August in Montreal, to prioritise his health.

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Carlos Alcaraz will also be absent from the Canadian Open as he continues his recovery from a wrist injury that has kept him out since April.

"We are obviously very disappointed that Jannik and Novak won't be joining us in Montreal this year, especially after they also withdrew from last year's tournament in Toronto," said the Canadian Open's tournament director Valerie Tetreault.

"We respect their decisions and understand that, with such a demanding schedule, players' health must remain the priority.

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

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

"We are already in discussions with the ATP to ensure this matter received serious consideration."

The Canadian Open takes place before the Cincinnati Open, which is also a Masters 1000 event, and prior to the start of the US Open - the final Grand Slam of the year - on 30 August.

Seven of the existing nine Masters 1000 events - the sport's highest level below the Grand Slams - are now staged over 12 days and concerns over the congested tennis calendar, which stretches across 11 months of the year for the top players, have regularly been voiced.

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Britain's Jack Draper and Emma Raducanu recently pulled out of Wimbledon on the eve of their home Grand Slam because of injury.

Draper, who withdrew with a long-term arm injury, said he felt the amount of injuries suffered by leading players is "pretty worrying".

In September 2024, Alcaraz said: "They are going to kill us in some way."

"We firmly believe adjustments are needed in the near future to better protect the integrity of our Masters 1000 events while remaining mindful of the realities players face," added Tetreault.

Earlier this year, women's world number one Aryna Sabalenka and Iga Swiatek pulled out of the Dubai Championships, a WTA 1000 event, two days before it started.

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Tournament director Salah Tahlak said players who made late withdrawals from tournaments should be docked points, while Sabalenka said criticism of her was "ridiculous" and that she may not play at the tournament again.

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