The Canadian Open continues to experience a growing list of high profile withdrawals, with several of the world’s biggest tennis stars choosing to skip this year’s tournament.
Once regarded as one of the most prestigious events on the ATP and WTA calendars, the competition has produced champions such as Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, Andy Murray and Novak Djokovic since 2000. In recent seasons, however, many leading players have opted out of the tournament.
Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner are among the biggest names absent from this year’s edition, meaning neither player has featured at the Canadian Open since 2023. Novak Djokovic’s absence also continues, with the Serbian legend yet to return to the tournament since his last appearance in 2018.
The withdrawal of so many elite players has created opportunities for other competitors to make their mark. That trend was evident in 2025 when Ben Shelton and Leylah Fernandez emerged as champions after taking advantage of an open field.
This year’s list of absentees extends well beyond the game’s biggest stars. Jack Draper, Holger Rune, Tomas Machac and Sebastian Korda have all pulled out of the tournament. Machac and Korda are still recovering from injuries that also ruled them out of Wimbledon, while others have chosen to focus on their fitness ahead of the remainder of the season.
With several top ranked players unavailable, Alexander Zverev heads into the tournament as the leading seed on the men’s side, followed by Felix Auger Aliassime and Alex de Minaur. Among the top three seeds, Zverev is the only former Canadian Open champion, having claimed the title in 2017 with a victory over Federer in the final.
The women’s draw has also been affected by notable withdrawals. Karolina Muchova confirmed she will miss the tournament after undergoing what she described as a minor surgical procedure following her Wimbledon final appearance.
Reports have also suggested that world number one Aryna Sabalenka will not compete in this year’s event, although tournament organisers are yet to officially confirm her withdrawal.
Muchova is joined on the sidelines by Victoria Mboko and Hailey Baptiste, both of whom are recovering from serious knee injuries sustained during the 2026 season. Baptiste suffered ACL and meniscus injuries to her left knee at Roland Garros, while Mboko sustained an MCL injury to the same knee after a fall during the Queen’s tournament.
With several top contenders unavailable, this year’s Canadian Open could provide another opportunity for emerging players to make a significant breakthrough on one of tennis’ biggest stages.
