Jannik Sinner’s choice to skip the Canadian Open has reignited discussion around the tournament calendar, the demands on players and the two-week Masters model.

The move has drawn support from many pundits and former professionals, who have backed Sinner’s call to miss the Montreal event for a second straight year. Fans, by contrast, have been left frustrated, not only because they will not get the chance to watch him compete, but also because he will miss out on a shot at an unusual place in tennis history. The Canadian Open could have been Sinner’s sixth Masters event in succession in 2026, with only three more left to pursue later in the season, but that path is now closed.

As the conversation continues, Rennae Stubbs weighed in on the world No 1’s decision on The Rennae Stubbs Tennis Podcast. The Grand Slam champion said: “I don’t blame Jannik for not playing. It was a bear of a schedule for him, doing what he did.

“He played all those clay court tournaments, lost that really tough match at the French, then goes and wins Wimbledon. He does not play anything prior. Maybe he learnt a lesson about the load of tennis which he did before the French.

“Then people have the audacity to be like he has an opportunity to win all the Masters 1000 this year, why wouldn’t he do it? “Do you think he cares about that? He has so many records now for being the youngest to do this and that. He has just won Wimbledon.

“His only thinking right now is how can I win the US Open, so not playing in Canada clearly opens up the book a little bit for him to get the rest that he needs then do the work load in Cincinnati.”

Sinner also withdrew from the Canadian Open last year, and that absence did not lead to a title on the North American hard-court swing. He later retired in the Cincinnati Open final against Carlos Alcaraz while trailing 5-0 in the opening set because of illness. After that, he reached the US Open final, only to meet the same opponent and the same result at Flushing Meadows. This year, he will hope the decision brings a better return.

Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner will again sit out the Canadian Open, marking the second straight year the Masters event has lost two of its biggest names. Their absence has only sharpened concerns around an event that already enters the draw without some of its main attractions.

Alcaraz is missing because of a wrist injury, and his return is expected a couple of weeks later at the Cincinnati Open. Sinner has also opted out, choosing not to travel to Montreal so soon after winning Wimbledon, saying he is prioritising his health. Together, their decisions have added to the sense that the tournament is being asked to carry on without several of the sport’s top draws.

The issue has prompted renewed debate about the Canadian Open’s extended 12-day Masters format. Since the 2024 season, most Masters events have been stretched from the traditional week-long schedule to 12 days, a change that has not gone down well with leading ATP Tour players.

On Nothing Major, Sam Querrey and Steve Johnson suggested the tournament may be content as long as the television revenue for nearly two weeks keeps coming in. Querrey framed the point bluntly: “Do you think the Canadian Masters would rather have a 12-day long tournament without Carlos, Jannik, and Novak, or have a 7-day tournament with those three in? I swear, I think they would rather have the 12-day tournament without them,” said Querrey.

He added, “I think they don’t care anymore. I think they’d rather take 12 days of TV rights in this. And I still think they don’t care. As bad as that sounds, I don’t think so.

Johnson agreed, saying, “I’m with you. I wish it was a seven-day event and all these guys would play, but I don’t think the tournaments or the sponsors really care because they’re the sponsorship is done so far in advance,” he added.

“It’s not like they’re pulling funding now because these guys are these guys are out in my opinion.”

This year’s top seeds will be Alexander Zverev, Felix Auger-Aliassime, Alex de Minaur, and Daniil Medvedev. Novak Djokovic, Tomas Machac, and Sebastian Korda are also out. Last year, Ben Shelton capitalised on a similar wave of withdrawals to win his first Masters title, defeating Karen Khachanov in the final and putting himself in position to defend all 1000 points.

The 2026 Canadian Open arrives as the sixth ATP Masters 1000 tournament on the ATP Tour calendar, but the Montreal draw again comes with notable omissions. The men’s event, which is being staged for the 136th time, will be played at IGA Stadium and opens the three-event North American hard-court stretch before Cincinnati and the US Open.

Ben Shelton returns as the defending champion after lifting his first ATP Masters 1000 trophy last August with a three-set win over Karen Khachanov in the final. The American is back to defend that title and will enter the tournament as the fifth seed.

The main draw features 96 players, with the top 32 names on the entry list, based on the ATP Rankings of 27 July, receiving first-round byes. Six players will enter through wildcards. Gabriel Diallo, Liam Draxl and Gael Monfils have already been confirmed in that group. Hubert Hurkacz and Shang Juncheng have also made the field using protected ranking entries, while 16 qualifiers are still to be determined.

Alexander Zverev leads the seeding list as world No 2 and reigning French Open champion. Felix Auger-Aliassime is seeded second, giving local interest a strong presence. The remainder of the top 10 includes Alex de Minaur, Daniil Medvedev, Shelton, Flavio Cobolli, Taylor Fritz, Alexander Bublik and Casper Ruud.

Matteo Arnaldi currently holds the final seeded place at No 35, although his fitness is in question after he retired from his opening match at the Washington DC Open on Monday. If further withdrawals occur, Zizou Bergs and Raphael Collignon are next in line.

The absence list is led by Jannik Sinner, Carlos Alcaraz and Novak Djokovic, none of whom are among the top 10 seeds. Alcaraz is still recovering from injury, while Sinner and Djokovic are taking extended breaks before the US Open.

The draw ceremony is set for Friday, 31 July. First-round play begins on Sunday, 2 August, with the quarter-finals on Monday 10 August and Tuesday, 11 August. The semi-finals follow on Wednesday, and the men’s final will be played on Thursday, 13 August at 17:30 local time.