ATP Tour
Withdrawals in Canada renew debate over tennis scheduling
Sinner, Djokovic withdrawals renew debate over Canada, Masters scheduling, and player health.
Jannik Sinner and Novak Djokovic pulling out of the Canadian Open has reignited discussion about whether tennis’ calendar has become too punishing. Sinner, the world No 1, said he withdrew from Montreal to protect his health. Djokovic has opted out as he continues to focus on the slams while approaching 40, and Carlos Alcaraz remains sidelined with a wrist injury.
Canadian Open tournament director Valerie Tetreault responded to the high-profile absences by acknowledging the strain on players while also calling attention to a wider issue. She 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 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.”
The event used to sit in a different part of the season, with a two-week gap between Wimbledon and the Canadian Masters. Even then, many leading players still appeared. Now there is a three-week break after SW19, yet the field again lacks several of the sport’s biggest names.
Tennis content creator Gill Gross argued that the absence of top stars at this tournament is not only about the modern extended Masters format. He noted that Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal had already been missing Canada regularly, especially later in their careers. Federer skipped the event seven times between 2012 and 2021, Nadal played there five times between 2012 and 2024, and Djokovic has not played the Canadian Masters since 2018.
Gross said on his YouTube channel, “Everyone on my Twitter feed, basically in unison, all said the same thing when this news dropped, when Sinner and Djokovic pulled out on the same day. They all said, ‘Damn you extended two-week Masters 1000s, you’ve ruined it. You’ve ruined this event’. Look, I get it.
“I understand why that was the reaction. I am not a defender of the format. I have covered the flaws, the drawbacks when it comes to the format on the show many, many, many times. But we’ve got a short-term memory here, don’t we?
“Because last year, the Canada Masters became an expanded event for the first time, a two-week event, really 12, 13-day event. So let’s go back before then and examine the participation at the Canada Masters among the top players.
“ Roger Federer, after 2011, played Canada how many times? Twice. This was Nadal’s best hardcourt event. He sometimes prioritised it over Cincinnati. How many times after 2011, when both of these were one-week events, how many times after 2011 did Nadal actually play both? Three times.
“When’s the last time Djokovic played Canada? 2018. He’s won 11 slams since 2018.He hasn’t played Canada. So I get the reaction to be mad at the expanded Masters 1000s for players skipping out of this event. That’s actually not it in this case.”
Gross said the issue also reflects how the Big Three managed their careers and bodies, offering a template for future elite players. He added that Canada remains in a difficult place on the calendar, and that problem is not new.
“Now, I understand there’s an age difference in some of these cases where Sinner is mid-20s. And if you look at Djokovic not playing Canada since 2018, you’re looking at a more advanced age Djokovic in that particular sample size.
“But I also think that the big three, how long they played and how diligent they were about taking care of their bodies, I think they set a bit of an example for the future elite players in the sport for how maybe it should be done, how important it is to make sure that you’re not overextending your physicality and prioritising majors as they did so clearly.
“I think there was a bit of an example set. So I feel horrible for Canada, the National Bank Open. But this isn’t the expanded Masters fault. It has always been in a bad calendar spot. Always. This is not new.
“Let’s have a memory. And last year it was even worse because there was only two weeks between Wimbledon and the start of Canada. And this year, because of the way the calendar shook out, there was actually that extra week.
“So it was three weeks. And for that reason, they [the tournament organisers] were expecting to have better luck this year than they did last year. Not the case, unfortunate. I feel sorry for the locals at these events. I feel sorry for the people involved with these events. It’s not great.”
ATP Tour
Fritz ends Jodar’s challenge to win Washington title in straight sets
Fritz beat Jodar in a storm-delayed Washington final, but a late medical timeout drew criticism.
Taylor Fritz came through a tense Washington Open final against Rafael Jodar, sealing the title with a straight-sets win in the United States capital.
The final was delayed until Monday after a storm hit Washington on Sunday, but the match still delivered plenty of drama. Fritz edged the contest 7-6, 6-4 to capture his first ATP title of the season and the 11th trophy of his career.
There was, however, a contentious moment late in the second set when Jodar called for a medical timeout at 7-6, 5-4, just as Fritz was preparing to serve for the match. Fritz was visibly frustrated by the decision, while his coach, Michael Russell, was seen mouthing ‘absolute bulls***’ in response.
Jodar did appear to be dealing with a genuine wrist problem after falling on it during the match, and the injury could affect his immediate schedule. Even so, the timing raised wider questions about whether a medical timeout should be allowed when an opponent is serving for the match. It was also not the first interruption of the day, with Jodar having earlier paused to deal with his shoelaces after Fritz had broken him in the second set.
The Spaniard pushed the issue as far as deuce in the final game and saved several match points before Fritz finally closed it out. The victory ended Fritz’s run of four consecutive ATP Tour final defeats, after losses in Tokyo, Dallas, Stuttgart, and Halle.
It was also his first ATP 500 title since 2022, when he won the Japan Open. Since then, Fritz has added six ATP 250 titles, but his record at the 500 level had been comparatively quiet.
Fritz remains world No 8, though Alex de Minaur, Daniil Medvedev, and Novak Djokovic are positioned just ahead of him and could be overtaken with a strong showing at the Canadian Open. Jodar, meanwhile, has reached a new career high of world No 15.
1000 ATP Tour
Eala overturns Pegula as Google AI gets Washington final wrong
Eala beat Pegula after rain delays, while Google AI wrongly predicted a different result.
Jessica Pegula’s bid for a second Washington Open crown and the 12th title of her career was derailed by a long weather delay and an even stranger twist online. The final at the William H.G. FitzGerald Tennis Center was interrupted by thunderstorms, pushing the start back by several hours on Sunday afternoon.
When the match finally got underway, Pegula, the favourite, took the opening set 6-4 after breaking in game nine. The second set was only part-way through, with Eala leading 2-1, when rain returned. With lightning and rain still present, officials stopped play for the night at 6-4, 1-2.
That was the point at which search results created confusion. Anyone looking up “Pegula vs Eala” on Sunday evening or Monday morning was informed by Google AI that Pegula had won, even supplying a completed scoreline and a fabricated match report. The headline it produced read: “Jessica Pegula won the 2026 Mubadala DC Open singles titles, defeating Alexander Eala 6-4, 6-3 in the final.”
The AI also described a second set that never happened, claiming: “After play resumed following the lightning and rain delays, Pegula took total control. She broke Eala to charge ahead 4-2 and ultimately served out the match at 5-3, converting her first championship point with a cross-court forehand winner.”
The reality on Monday was the opposite. Eala seized control after the restart, broke in game 10 of the second set and forced a deciding set. She then won eight of the last 10 games, broke Pegula three times in the third set, and sealed the match on her second championship point for a 4-6, 6-4, 6-0 victory.
The 21-year-old made history as the first Filipina to win a WTA Tour singles title. Afterward, she addressed the crowd and made clear the result was genuine: “I feel so much love. My first chance at a title knowing it won’t be the last and already having achieved this milestone for my career,” Eala said on court. “I knew whatever happened after this match would have been already been a win for me.”
She also credited Pegula directly: “irst of all, of course, first and foremost congratulations Jessie for an amazing week and you’ve had an amazing season. It’s always a pleasure to share the court with you, I definitely learn so, so much,” Eala said.
“Especially from your forehand line and your backhand crosses. I’m really looking forward to hopefully many more finals with you.”
ATP Tour
Fritz Ends Final Run With Washington DC Open Victory
Fritz beat Jodar in DC to end his final drought and secure his 11th career title.
Taylor Fritz closed out the 2026 Washington DC Open by defeating Rafael Jodar in straight sets to claim the 11th title of his career.
After coming up short in each of his first three finals of the season, the American finally broke through with a 7-6 (7-2), 6-4 win over Jodar in the rain-delayed Monday final. It was also Fritz’s second ATP 500 title.
The result carried extra significance because Fritz had lost his previous four finals, including at the Dallas Open, Stuttgart Open and Halle Open earlier this year. In DC, he at last cleared the final hurdle.
“Thank you guys for everything,” Fritz told his team. “I have given this speech a lot recently but not as a winner, so it is nice to actually mean it a little bit more this time. Thank you so much for everything you do, staying on top of me all the time. I know it is not easy.”
Jodar was contesting only the second final of his career, after lifting his maiden title at the Grand Prix Hassan II in Morocco in April. Fritz also praised the younger player during his on-court interview, saying: “You’re so young and you’re just going to get better and better. I’m just going to get older, so thank you for letting me get this one today. It is incredible what you are doing this year.”
The rankings outcome was positive for both men. Fritz began the week at No 10 and moved up two places to No 8, taking over as the American No 1 after Ben Shelton slipped two spots. Because of the ATP’s 52-week system and the timing of points dropping from the 2025 Canadian Open, Fritz effectively added only 100 points despite winning an ATP 500 title worth 500 points.
Jodar had no points to defend from the 2025 Masters event, but points from the ATP Challenger Tour meant he added 316 rather than 330. Even so, the run sent him up nine places to a career-high No 15 and into the top 20 for the first time.
Fritz earned $461,835 and pushed his 2026 total to $2,692,744. His career prize money now stands at $32,008,653. Jodar collected $248,480, bringing his 2026 earnings to $2,041,383 and his career total to $2,387,281.
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