The Canadian Open's tournament director has called for changes to tennis' increasingly demanding schedule after Jannik Sinner and Novak Djokovic withdrew from this year's Masters 1000 event.
Sinner, fresh from defeating Alexander Zverev to win the Wimbledon title earlier this month, announced he would miss the tournament in Montreal, which runs from 2-13 August, in order to prioritise his health.
Carlos Alcaraz will also be absent as he continues his recovery from the wrist injury that has sidelined him 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," tournament director Valerie Tetreault 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 over the past few years highlights a broader issue for our sport.
"Masters 1000 events are among the flagship tournaments on the tour, and fans rightly expect to see the world's best compete.
"We are already in discussions with the ATP to ensure this matter receives serious consideration."
The Canadian Open is the first of two Masters 1000 events on the North American hard-court swing, preceding the Cincinnati Open and the US Open, which begins on 30 August.
Seven of the nine Masters 1000 tournaments are now played over 12 days, and concerns about an increasingly congested calendar have become a recurring theme. The top players now compete across an 11-month season, prompting growing fears about the physical toll of the schedule.
Britain's Jack Draper and Emma Raducanu were both forced to withdraw from Wimbledon on the eve of their home Grand Slam because of injury.
Draper, sidelined by a long-term arm problem, described the number of injuries affecting the sport's leading players as "pretty worrying".
Alcaraz has also voiced concerns. Speaking in September 2024, the Spaniard warned: "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," Tetreault added.
The issue is not confined to the men's tour. Earlier this year, world number one Aryna Sabalenka and five-time Grand Slam champion Iga Swiatek withdrew from the Dubai Championships, a WTA 1000 event, just two days before it began.
Tournament director Salah Tahlak subsequently suggested players who withdraw late from events should lose ranking points. Sabalenka dismissed the criticism as "ridiculous" and even hinted she may not return to the tournament in the future.
