Novak Djokovic and Jannik Sinner withdrawals spark major request ahead of US Open

Valerie Tetrault, the Canadian Open director, has demanded that changes be made to the tennis season's schedule after Jannik Sinner and Novak Djokovic pulled out of the Masters 1000 event.

The Canadian Open, set to take place from August 2 to 13, is traditionally used as a warm-up event ahead of the North American hard-court swing, which ends at the US Open.

The tournament is split between Montreal, where the men's competition is held, and Toronto, where the women's competition takes place, with the locations alternating each year.

However, organisers have been dealt a major blow as ATP world No. 1 Sinner and 24-time Grand Slam champion Djokovic have both confirmed their absences from this year's edition.

“After carefully considering all the factors together with my team, we have made the difficult decision to withdraw from Montreal," Sinner said in a statement.

"It is never easy to miss such an important event, but we believe this is the right decision to prioritise my health. I’m disappointed not to be there, but I look forward to returning to Montreal in the future."

World No. 3 Carlos Alcaraz will also miss out as he continues his recovery from a wrist injury, despite hoping to return for the final Grand Slam tournament of the season at Flushing Meadows on August 30.

Djokovic and Sinner also withdrew from last season’s Canadian Open.

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Top-10-ranked stars Alex de Minaur, Ben Shelton, Flavio Cobolli and Taylor Fritz are expected to compete at the tournament. French Open champion Alexander Zverev will be the top-seeded player in the men’s event.

Canadian Open chief demands change

Following the high-profile withdrawals, Canadian Open director Tetrault released a statement, suggesting changes to the season’s scheduling are needed to prevent similar situations from occurring.

“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," she said.

"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.

"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 receives serious consideration."

She added: "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."

Following the Canadian Open, the Cincinnati Open – also a Masters 1000 event – will take place ahead of the US Open.