World No. 2 Carlos Alcaraz has officially withdrawn from the 2025 Canadian Open, dealing another blow to the star power at this year’s tournament in Toronto. The Spaniard announced his decision on Monday, saying he needs time to rest and recover after a demanding stretch on the ATP Tour.
“After many consecutive weeks of competition without rest, I will not be able to play in Toronto this year. I have small muscles issues and I need to recover physically and mentally for what comes next,” Alcaraz wrote on social media. “To the tournament and to my fans in Canada I am very sorry, I will see you next year!”
Sinner, Djokovic, Draper also out
Alcaraz is not the only marquee name bypassing Toronto. A day earlier, the tournament confirmed that World No. 1 Jannik Sinner and No. 6 Novak Djokovic had also withdrawn. Sinner, meanwhile, is getting over his first Wimbledon title win – a special final against Alcaraz, even as Djokovic is struggling with a quad problem.
British star Jack Draper (ranked No. 5) has also withdrawn due to an arm injury.
With these withdrawals, four of the top six men’s seeds will be absent from the singles draw, marking a major shake-up at this ATP Masters 1000 tournament.
Alcaraz has been one of the most active and successful players this season. He won his maiden French Open title, reached the Wimbledon final and also lifted trophies at Monte Carlo and the Italian Open. The packed schedule, however, seems to have taken a toll, prompting this much-needed break.
Zverev, Fritz lead the remaining field
With the top seeds out, the spotlight now shifts to World No. 3 Alexander Zverev and No. 4 Taylor Fritz, assuming they stay in the draw. Zverev will have the confidence of past success in Canada, having won the tournament in 2017, while Fritz is still chasing his first deep run in Toronto.
Other notable contenders include No. 7 Lorenzo Musetti and No. 9 Holger Rune. Canadian hopes will rest on the shoulders of Denis Shapovalov and Felix Auger-Aliassime, ranked No. 27 and No. 28 respectively, as they aim to deliver in front of the home crowd.
The Canadian Open, officially known as the National Bank Open presented by Rogers, is one of the nine ATP Masters 1000 tournaments, just below the Grand Slams in prestige.