Canadian Open Withdrawals 2026 – Full List of Players Missing the National Bank Open
The 2026 Canadian Open withdrawals have dominated tennis headlines in the weeks leading up to the tournament, with the three biggest names in men’s tennis all confirmed absent from Montreal and the defending WTA champion among nine players missing the Toronto draw.
Jannik Sinner, Carlos Alcaraz, and Novak Djokovic, the world No. 1, No. 3, and No. 8 respectively, have all withdrawn from the ATP Montreal draw. On the women’s side, defending champion Victoria Mboko leads a list of nine WTA players missing the Toronto event due to injury and recovery concerns.
Tennis Canada expressed public frustration at the scale of the withdrawals, noting that Sinner, Djokovic, and Alcaraz also missed the 2025 Canadian Open in Toronto, making this the second consecutive year the tournament has lost all three of its biggest draws simultaneously.
The 2026 National Bank Open runs from August 1 to 13, with the men’s draw at IGA Stadium in Montreal and the women’s draw at Sobeys Stadium in Toronto.
Quick Facts:
| Detail | Info |
| Tournament dates | August 1-13, 2026 |
| Total ATP withdrawals | 8 confirmed |
| Total WTA withdrawals | 9 confirmed |
| Highest ranked withdrawal ATP | Jannik Sinner, World No. 1 |
| Highest ranked withdrawal WTA | Karolina Muchova, World No. 6 |
| Defending champion absent | Victoria Mboko, knee injury |
| New ATP top seed | Alexander Zverev |
| New ATP second seed | Felix Auger-Aliassime |
Canadian Open Withdrawals 2026 – Complete List
Here is the full confirmed withdrawal list for both the ATP Montreal and WTA Toronto draws ahead of the 2026 National Bank Open.
ATP Montreal withdrawals:
| Player | Ranking | Reason |
| Jannik Sinner | World No. 1 | Rest and recovery after Wimbledon title |
| Carlos Alcaraz | World No. 3 | Right wrist injury since April Barcelona Open |
| Novak Djokovic | World No. 8 | No official reason provided |
| Tomas Machac | Top 30 | Injury |
| Sebastian Korda | Top 40 | Injury |
| Alexander Bublik | Top 40 | Injury |
| Alejandro Davidovich | Top 50 | Injury |
| Jesper de Jong | World No. 105 | Injury |
WTA Toronto withdrawals:
| Player | Ranking | Reason |
| Karolina Muchova | World No. 6 | Minor surgery after Wimbledon final |
| Victoria Mboko | World No. 12 | Knee injury at Queen’s Club in June |
| Hailey Baptiste | World No. 33 | Knee injury, extended tour absence |
| Emma Raducanu | World No. 38 | Stress fracture in right leg |
| Dayana Yastremska | World No. 74 | Injury |
| Jasmine Paolini | Top 10 | Ongoing foot injury |
| Petra Marcinko | Ranked | Injury |
| Laura Siegemund | Ranked | Injury |
| Jaqueline Cristian | Ranked | Injury |
Key observation:
The combined withdrawal list across both draws is substantial, with multiple top-ranked players missing from both the Montreal and Toronto fields. Every withdrawal on both lists is injury related, reflecting the physical toll of a tennis calendar that moves directly from the grass court season at Wimbledon into the hard court demands of the North American summer swing.
ATP Montreal Withdrawals – The Big Three Missing Again
The most significant story surrounding the 2026 Canadian Open withdrawals is the simultaneous absence of Jannik Sinner, Carlos Alcaraz, and Novak Djokovic from the ATP Montreal draw. These three players represent the top three most marketable names in men’s tennis and their combined absence for the second consecutive year has generated significant attention both within and beyond the tennis world.
Tennis Canada confirmed both Sinner and Djokovic would not compete in Montreal after both players had been included on the original entry list. Tournament officials expressed their frustration publicly, noting that Sinner, Djokovic, and Alcaraz also missed the previous year’s event in Toronto.
Impact of losing all three simultaneously:
| Factor | Impact |
| Draw quality | Three top-five seeds missing from 96-player field |
| Ticket demand | Reduced marquee matchup appeal for Montreal fans |
| Seedings | Alexander Zverev elevated to top seed |
| Canadian story | FAA elevated to second seed, historic milestone |
| Tennis Canada response | Public frustration statement released |
| Broadcast interest | Reduced international broadcast appeal without top three |
The consecutive year problem:
Sinner, Djokovic and Alcaraz also missed last year’s event in Toronto, when the 12-day tournament began just two weeks after Wimbledon. Tournament officials had expected fewer withdrawals this year, with the event starting three weeks after the All England Club finals.
Despite the extra week between Wimbledon and the Canadian Open in 2026 compared to 2025, all three players still withdrew, raising serious questions about whether the scheduling gap between the grass court season and the North American hard court swing is sufficient for elite players to recover and compete at full capacity.
Jannik Sinner Withdrawal – World No. 1 Skips Montreal
Jannik Sinner confirmed his withdrawal from the 2026 National Bank Open in Montreal, choosing to extend his rest and recovery period following his Wimbledon title rather than competing at the first Masters 1000 event of the North American hard court season.
Sinner confirmed his absence from the Canadian Open for the second consecutive year, the tournament where he won his first Masters 1000 title in 2023. The Italian arrives after becoming Wimbledon champion but decided to extend his rest and recovery period ahead of the US Open.
Sinner withdrawal key facts:
| Detail | Info |
| Ranking at withdrawal | World No. 1 |
| Reason | Rest and recovery after Wimbledon title |
| Consecutive years missing | 2 (2025 Toronto and 2026 Montreal) |
| Last Canadian Open appearance | 2023 Montreal, where he won the title |
| Next confirmed tournament | US Open 2026 |
| Impact on draw | Alexander Zverev elevated to top seed |
Why this withdrawal matters beyond one tournament:
Sinner won the 2023 Canadian Open in Montreal, his first Masters 1000 title and the result that launched his rise to world No. 1. His connection to this specific venue makes his absence from the 2026 Montreal edition particularly notable for Canadian tennis fans who witnessed that breakthrough moment three years ago.
His withdrawal also means he arrives at the US Open without any competitive hard court matches before the final Grand Slam of the season, a strategic decision that prioritises peak fitness for New York over tournament experience in Montreal.
Carlos Alcaraz Withdrawal – Third Consecutive Year Missing
Carlos Alcaraz is the only player among the major withdrawals who was never included on the original 2026 Canadian Open entry list. The seven-time Grand Slam champion has not played since April due to a right wrist injury that forced him to miss the entire clay and grass court seasons, making the Canadian Open his third consecutive year absent from the tournament.
Alcaraz withdrawal key facts:
| Detail | Info |
| Ranking at withdrawal | World No. 3 |
| Reason | Right wrist injury since Barcelona Open in April |
| Consecutive years missing | 3 (2024 early exit, 2025 Toronto, 2026 Montreal) |
| Last meaningful Canadian Open result | 2023 Montreal finalist, lost to Sinner |
| Next confirmed target | Cincinnati and US Open 2026 |
| Impact on draw | Field loses its most explosive player |
The scale of his absence:
Alcaraz has not competed since the Barcelona Open in April 2026, meaning he arrives at the North American hard court season having missed Roland Garros, Wimbledon, and now the Canadian Open entirely. His wrist injury has kept him off court for over three months, the longest absence of his professional career.
His withdrawal means the 2026 Canadian Open in Montreal will be the third consecutive year he has missed this specific tournament, despite being one of the two or three most anticipated names on any ATP entry list globally. The Montreal crowd that would have watched him compete for the first time as a completed Career Grand Slam champion will have to wait at least another year.
His team has indicated he is targeting Cincinnati as his return to competitive play, with the US Open as the primary focus of his hard court season.
Novak Djokovic Withdrawal – No Reason Given
Novak Djokovic confirmed his withdrawal from the 2026 National Bank Open in Montreal without providing an official reason, making it the second consecutive year the 24-time Grand Slam champion has missed the Canadian Open.
Tennis Canada confirmed Djokovic would not compete in Montreal after he had been included on the original entry list, adding his name to the growing list of Canadian Open withdrawals alongside Sinner and Alcaraz.
Djokovic withdrawal key facts:
| Detail | Info |
| Ranking at withdrawal | World No. 8 |
| Reason | No official reason provided |
| Consecutive years missing | 2 (2025 Toronto and 2026 Montreal) |
| Last Canadian Open appearance | 2018 Toronto |
| Grand Slam titles | 24 |
| Impact on draw | Field loses most decorated active player |
The pattern of absence:
Sinner, Djokovic and Alcaraz also missed last year’s event in Toronto, when the 12-day tournament began just two weeks after Wimbledon. Tournament officials had expected fewer withdrawals this year, with the event starting three weeks after the Wimbledon finals, and expressed their frustration in a press release.
Djokovic has not competed at the Canadian Open since 2018 in Toronto, making his absence from the Montreal draw an eight year streak without appearing at the tournament. His withdrawal without explanation has drawn attention given that no injury or health related reason was provided alongside the confirmation.
WTA Toronto Withdrawals Defending Champion Leads Absentees
While the ATP Montreal withdrawals have generated the most headlines, the WTA Toronto draw has also been significantly affected by injuries, with nine players confirmed absent including defending champion Victoria Mboko and Wimbledon finalist Karolina Muchova.
Victoria Mboko – Defending Champion Out:
Last year’s champion Victoria Mboko announced her withdrawal from the event due to a knee injury sustained at the HSBC Championships in June. The 19-year-old Canadian has not played since suffering the injury during her opening round singles match at Queen’s Club, where she slipped on the grass during a match against Karolina Pliskova.
Her absence is particularly significant given that she won the 2025 Canadian Open as a wildcard ranked 85th in the world, defeating four former Grand Slam champions on her way to the title. The Toronto crowd that celebrated her historic victory last year will not see her defend that title in 2026.
Karolina Muchova – Surgery After Wimbledon Final:
Karolina Muchova announced her withdrawal after she underwent a minor surgery following her run to the Wimbledon final, where she lost a heartbreaking all-Czech battle against Linda Noskova. The world No. 6 had already enjoyed a strong 2026 season, winning her first WTA 1000 title in Doha earlier this year.
Emma Raducanu – Stress Fracture:
Emma Raducanu is also absent as she manages a stress fracture in her right leg. The former US Open champion has struggled with recurring injury setbacks throughout her career and her absence from Toronto continues a frustrating pattern of physical problems limiting her competitive schedule.
Complete WTA withdrawal impact:
| Player | Ranking | Tournament Impact |
| Karolina Muchova | World No. 6 | Only top-10 player missing from WTA field |
| Victoria Mboko | World No. 12 | Defending champion absent |
| Jasmine Paolini | Top 10 | Foot injury limits hard court preparation |
| Emma Raducanu | World No. 38 | Stress fracture in right leg |
| Hailey Baptiste | World No. 33 | Extended tour absence continues |
How Withdrawals Affect the Canadian Open Draw
The scale of the 2026 Canadian Open withdrawals has produced significant changes to both the ATP Montreal and WTA Toronto draws, affecting seedings, bracket positions, and the overall competitive landscape of both tournaments.
ATP Montreal draw changes:
| Change | Detail |
| Top seed | Alexander Zverev elevated to No. 1 seed |
| Second seed | Felix Auger-Aliassime elevated to No. 2 seed |
| Historic milestone | FAA becomes highest-seeded Canadian in tournament history |
| Draw quality | Three top-five seeds absent from 96-player field |
| Open field | No dominant favourite, wider title contention |
| Canadian storyline | FAA as second seed creates powerful home narrative |
Felix Auger-Aliassime – Historic Seeding:
The most significant positive consequence of the ATP Montreal withdrawals is the elevation of Felix Auger-Aliassime to the second seed. Montreal’s Felix Auger-Aliassime will be seeded second, making him the highest-seeded Canadian in the tournament’s history. For Montreal fans who have supported FAA throughout his career, his status as the second seed at his home Masters 1000 event represents a genuinely historic moment regardless of the circumstances that created it.
WTA Toronto draw changes:
| Change | Detail |
| Top seed | Aryna Sabalenka confirmed as No. 1 seed |
| Second seed | Elena Rybakina as No. 2 seed |
| Defending champion | Victoria Mboko absent, no title defence |
| Open field | Muchova absence removes only top-10 player missing |
| Wildcard additions | Venus Williams, Bianca Andreescu among wildcards |
How the draw adjusts for withdrawals:
When confirmed players withdraw before the draw is released, their positions are filled by the next highest ranked players on the alternates list. When withdrawals occur after the draw is made, lucky losers from qualifying enter the main draw in the withdrawn player’s bracket position. For a complete explanation of how lucky losers and alternates enter the draw, read our guide on how to read a tennis draw.
Tennis Canada Response to Withdrawals
Tennis Canada broke with the typically diplomatic language of tournament organisations and issued a public statement expressing genuine frustration at the scale of the 2026 Canadian Open withdrawals, particularly given that the same three ATP players also missed the previous year’s event.
“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,” the official statement read.
The frustration reflects a broader concern that the scheduling gap between Wimbledon and the Canadian Open, even at three weeks in 2026 compared to two weeks in 2025, is not sufficient for elite players at the top of the rankings to recover, prepare, and compete at a Masters 1000 level so soon after the demands of a Grand Slam fortnight.
The scheduling debate:
| Factor | Detail |
| 2025 gap | Two weeks between Wimbledon and Canadian Open |
| 2026 gap | Three weeks between Wimbledon and Canadian Open |
| Expected improvement | Tournament officials anticipated fewer withdrawals in 2026 |
| Actual result | Same three ATP players withdrew despite the extra week |
| Broader context | Injury crisis across both ATP and WTA tours in 2026 |
| Tournament position | First Masters 1000 of North American hard court swing |
The broader injury crisis context:
The 2026 Canadian Open withdrawals are not an isolated phenomenon. Players missing big tournaments due to injuries has been a prominent storyline throughout the 2026 tennis season, with the physical demands of competing across clay, grass, and hard courts in rapid succession creating significant injury risk for players ranked at the top of both tours.
The Canadian Open sits at a particularly vulnerable point on the calendar, immediately following the grass court season and preceding the US Open hard court swing, placing it in a window where player fitness is at its most fragile point of the entire season.
Who Replaces Withdrawn Players
When players withdraw from the Canadian Open before or after the draw is released, specific processes determine who enters the tournament in their place.
How replacements work at the Canadian Open:
| Scenario | Replacement Process |
| Withdrawal before draw | Next highest ranked alternate enters main draw directly |
| Withdrawal after draw, before first match | Lucky loser from qualifying takes their bracket position |
| Withdrawal during tournament | Opponent receives a walkover and advances automatically |
| Wildcard withdrawal | Wildcard spot may be reallocated at tournament discretion |
Alternates – the pre-draw replacement system:
Before the draw is released, players on the alternate list enter the main draw automatically as confirmed players withdraw. The alternate list is ranked by ATP or WTA ranking, meaning the highest-ranked player who did not receive direct entry becomes the first alternate and enters the draw when a spot opens.
The 2026 Canadian Open ATP Montreal field originally confirmed 71 of the ATP tour’s top 72 players. As withdrawals accumulated, alternates moved up the list and several players who would otherwise have competed in qualifying received direct main draw entry instead.
Lucky losers – the post-draw replacement system:
Once the draw is released and a player withdraws before their first match, a lucky loser from qualifying enters the main draw in their bracket position. Lucky losers are the highest-ranked players who lost in the final round of qualifying, waiting on standby for exactly this scenario.
Wildcard additions for 2026:
Tennis Canada used its wildcard allocation to add several notable players to both draws following the withdrawal announcements. On the WTA side, Venus Williams received a singles wildcard for the Toronto event alongside Canadian players Bianca Andreescu, Ariana Arseneault, Cadence Brace, Kayla Cross, Rebecca Marino, Katherine Sebov, and Carol Zhao.
Three additional ATP main draw wildcards were announced for the Montreal event, with Tennis Canada using the spots to maintain the quality and appeal of the draw despite the high-profile absences at the top of the rankings.
FAQs
Conclusion
The 2026 Canadian Open withdrawals are significant and genuinely disappointing for Tennis Canada, Montreal fans, and tennis followers worldwide who wanted to see Sinner, Alcaraz, and Djokovic compete together at IGA Stadium for the first time.
But the tournament itself remains one of the strongest fields assembled at any non-Grand Slam event this season. Alexander Zverev arrives as top seed and Roland Garros champion. Felix Auger-Aliassime enters as the second seed and the highest-seeded Canadian in the tournament’s history, carrying the hopes of a Montreal crowd that has waited years for exactly this moment. On the women’s side, Aryna Sabalenka, Elena Rybakina, Coco Gauff, and Iga Swiatek headline a WTA Toronto draw that rivals any field assembled at this tournament in recent memory.
The players who are present are ready to compete. The courts are ready. The fans are ready. Check our complete Canadian Open players guide for the full confirmed entry list and draw breakdown heading into August 1.
