Jannik Sinner will not have the chance to make history in 2026 by becoming the first player to win all nine ATP Masters 1000 titles in a single season. The world No. 1 has confirmed that he will skip next month’s Canadian Open.

Sinner has been almost untouchable across the early Masters 1000 events of the year, lifting trophies in Indian Wells, Miami, Monte Carlo, Madrid and Rome. His Rome title also made him only the second man, after Novak Djokovic, to capture all nine Masters 1000 crowns at least once. A full sweep across one calendar year would have been an exceptional milestone, but that prospect is now gone.

The Italian was expected to arrive in Montreal as the clear favourite, yet he announced his withdrawal in a statement released by the ATP. “After carefully considering all the factors together with my team, we have made the difficult decision to withdraw from Montreal,” Sinner said.

“It is never easy to miss such an important event, but we believe this is the right decision to prioritise my health. I’m disappointed not to be there, but I look forward to returning to Montreal in the future.”

Djokovic has also pulled out of Canada, though that decision is less surprising given his reduced schedule and the fact that he has not played in Canada since 2018.

The withdrawals have added to a wider concern around the event’s place on the calendar. “We are obviously very disappointed that Jannik and Novak won’t be joining us in Montréal this year, especially after they also withdrew from last year’s tournament in Toronto. We respect their decisions and understand that, with such a demanding schedule, players’ health must remain the priority,” said Valérie Tétreault, Tournament Director of the National Bank Open in Montreal.

“That said, we believe the frequency of these last-minute withdrawals in the last few years raises a broader issue for our sport. Masters 1000 events are among the flagship tournaments on the tour, and fans rightfully expect to see the world’s best compete. We are already in discussions with the ATP to ensure this matter receives serious consideration. 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.”

Gavin Ziv, Chief Executive Officer of Tennis Canada, added: “As a national federation and the organizer of an ATP Masters 1000 tournament, we have a responsibility to advocate for the interests of tennis and the fans who support our event year after year,” said Ziv.

“We have already opened a dialogue with the ATP to explore solutions that would maximise the participation of the world’s top players in mandatory events. We are encouraged by the openness shown so far and hope these discussions will lead to concrete changes in the near future.”

With Sinner and Djokovic absent, Alexander Zverev is projected to be top seed in Canada, with Felix Auger-Aliassime seeded No. 2 and defending champion Ben Shelton at No. 3. Carlos Alcaraz had already ruled himself out, while the women’s draw has also lost Emma Raducanu, Karolina Muchova, Victoria Mboko and Jasmine Paolini.

Former British No 1 Kyle Edmund has offered a clear warning to Carlos Alcaraz as the Spaniard works toward a comeback from a right wrist injury: he cannot afford uncertainty when he returns.

Alcaraz picked up the problem in April during his first-round victory over Otto Virtanen at the Barcelona Open. He has not played since, which has ruled him out of the rest of the clay season and the grass-court swing. According to reports, his next target is the Masters 1000 event in Cincinnati next month, with the 2026 US Open following soon after.

Before the injury interruption, the 23-year-old had compiled a 22-3 record this season. His first 16 matches produced titles at the Australian Open and the Qatar Open, underlining the level he had reached before being forced off court.

In an exclusive interview with Tennis365, Edmund said the setback “seems significant” and made clear how much he values watching the seven-time major winner compete.

“Alcaraz, it doesn’t feel like a minor injury; it seems significant because he’s had to take serious time out and miss Grand Slams,” said the former world No 14.

“When you’re missing Grand Slams, that’s a proper thing. Those guys, that’s their career: winning Slams.

“For people that enjoy tennis, we don’t need those guys out. I love watching him, so I would like him back. He’s just got to be careful with the wrist.

“I know from speaking to people about wrist injuries, you’ve got to make sure they’re right when you come back. And there’s a confidence thing to let go, as well.

“I think publicly he’s being quite reserved with it – rightfully so, it’s his personal thing. I don’t know what [the injury] is, in terms of what happened.

“But he’ll be back when he’s ready, and the way he plays is so explosive and physical that he can’t have any doubts in his head. He’s got to be able to trust his body.

“Hopefully he can get there, because the game’s better with him.”

Edmund, who retired aged 30 last August, knows the demands of injury recovery well. His later career was affected by a series of physical problems, including a wrist issue in 2023. He also raised the possibility that tour balls may be contributing to arm and wrist trouble, pointing to his own experience late in his career.

Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova has cast fresh doubt on Novak Djokovic’s long-term future, saying the question of when he will stop remains impossible to answer.

Djokovic, who turned 39 in May, is still competing near the top of the sport even though he is playing far fewer events than many of his peers. The former world No. 1 is now ranked seventh and has gone 14-5 this season, with only five tournaments on his schedule so far.

His results have remained elite. Djokovic was runner-up at the Australian Open and reached the semi-finals at Wimbledon this year. In 2025, he also advanced to the last four at all four majors.

Since winning the 2023 US Open, he has been pursuing a record-extending 25th Grand Slam title. If he were to add another major, he would become the oldest singles champion in tennis history.

Speaking to Bolshe Tennis, Pavlyuchenkova said she could only offer uncertainty when asked about retirement.

“Well, with Djokovic it’s a mystery. That’s just… it’s like, I don’t know, he’s not human,” said the French Open finalist and former world No 11.

She added: “Who would have thought that, to this day, he’d still be playing and reaching the semi-finals of a Grand Slam?

“It’s very hard to say. I think for him, a semi-final is… well, not a failure, but his goal is to win Slams, to win the big tournaments.

“So, the question is if he still has the motivation, what his goals are, what physical condition he is in. It’s unclear. And why does he continue? For me, there are many questions.”

Mark Philippoussis also reflected on Djokovic’s staying power in an exclusive interview with Tennis365, describing his standards as extraordinary.

“It’s incredible (what Djokovic is doing). I mean, there’s professionalism, and then he takes it to another level,” said the two-time Grand Slam finalist.

“You’re talking about, like LeBron James is the same thing, and Tom Brady was the same as well, still playing the best [at an age] when guys have normally retired.

“As fans, and if you love tennis, we need to sit back and appreciate that and just enjoy watching him while we can.”