The National Bank Open is set to host most of the top male tennis players this year, following a previous year where some high-profile players withdrew from the ATP Masters 1000 tournament. Jannik Sinner, the current world No. 1, and 24-time Grand Slam champion Novak Djokovic are among the leading players featured in the 96-player lineup for the upcoming summer event.
Tennis Canada revealed that 71 out of the top 72 players in the ATP Tour have confirmed their participation in the tournament scheduled from August 1 to 13 at IGA Stadium, with one notable exception. Carlos Alcaraz, a seven-time Grand Slam winner, will not be competing in Montreal due to an ongoing recovery process from a right wrist injury sustained in April, which previously forced him to miss the French Open and Wimbledon.
NBO tournament director Valerie Tetreault acknowledged Alcaraz’s absence, emphasizing the importance of his recovery and expressing hopes for his return to full fitness. Despite Alcaraz’s absence, the competition will see the likes of Sinner, Djokovic, French Open champion Alexander Zverev, and top-ranked Canadian player Félix Auger-Aliassime in action.
Last year, Sinner, Alcaraz, Djokovic, and then-No. 5 Jack Draper were absent from the tournament, which was held just two weeks after Wimbledon. This year’s edition has been rescheduled to start three weeks after the conclusion of the All England Club finals to accommodate the players’ schedules.
Although Djokovic’s participation remains uncertain, Tetreault mentioned that he is evaluating his schedule post-Wimbledon before making a final decision. As the third seed in the tournament, Félix Auger-Aliassime is poised to become the highest-seeded Canadian player in the history of the Canadian Open.
The event will also feature defending champion Ben Shelton, world No. 5 from the United States, and Daniil Medvedev from Russia. Additionally, Denis Shapovalov from Richmond Hill, Ont., seeded 40th, has secured a direct entry into the main draw, while Montreal’s Gabriel Diallo, ranked No. 88, received a main-draw wild card entry.
The top 32 seeded players will receive first-round byes at the $9.4 million US tournament, providing them with a competitive advantage in the prestigious competition.