e Novak Djokovic Wimbledon – upload.wikimedia.org
World No. 2 Novak Djokovic has withdrawn from the National Bank Open, also known as the Canadian Open, in Toronto due to fatigue, as announced by Tennis Canada on Sunday.
The 36-year-old reached the final of Wimbledon last weekend but lost to the 20-year-old Carlos Alcaraz.
“I have always enjoyed my time in Canada, but after speaking with my team, we believe this is the right decision to take,” said the Serbian superstar, who had previously won the Canadian Open singles title four times.
In his statement, Djokovic expressed his hope that he would be able to return to Canada and Toronto in the coming years to play in front of the “great fans there.” He also thanked tournament director Karl Hale for understanding his decision.
“Of course, we’re disappointed that Novak won’t be playing at the National Bank Open this year,” said Hale in response. “He’s an incredible player and one we know our fans were eager to watch at Sobeys Stadium.”
Additionally, a theory from renowned tennis coach Gunter Bresnik suggests that Djokovic may be losing motivation due to the absence of long-time rivals Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal and Andy Murray.
“I have always enjoyed my time in Canada, but after speaking with my team, we believe this is the right decision to take.”
Novak Djokovic, Serbian tennis player
2023 Canadian Open Men’s lineup
Sobeys Stadium in Toronto will host the men’s side of the national tennis championship from August 3 to 13. The event will feature 41 of the top 42 players in the world.
World’s No. 1 Alcaraz will be returning, along with Daniil Medvedev, Casper Ruud and Stefano Tsitsipas, the current No. 3, 4 and 5, respectively. Last year’s champion, Pablo Carreño Busta, will also return to the field despite struggling with an injury-plagued season this year.
Alcaraz will be among the few young players in the tournament, alongside Danish Holger Rune and Italian Jannik Sinner, who will also compete in Toronto. Both players will be looking to make their mark on the tournament, especially after qualifying on entry as No. 6 and 8, respectively.
Following Djokovic’s withdrawal, Christopher Eubanks gained automatic entry into the draw. The unseeded player played impressive games and shocked the world at Wimbledon. He defeated world No. 5 Stefanos Tsitsipas and No. 12 Cameron Norrie en route to the quarterfinals.
