How to prevent regular withdrawals from tennis tournaments? Felix Auger-Aliassime suggests 'no consecutive absences' rule after Canadian Open debacle
ATPTuesday, 04 August 2026 at 11:30
The topic of withdrawals have again cropped up with notable big names not participating in the Canadian Open. Jannik Sinner, Carlos Alcaraz and Novak Djokovic will not feature for the second year running with the number two seed Felix Auger-Aliassime suggesting some proposals being discussed behind the scenes to prevent this from occurring again.
The reason for the Canadian Open being a prime target to skip by many is the tricky spot it has in the calendar. That has been emphasised and pinpointed more by the extended 12-day format many Masters 1000 tournaments have started to use.
This is having negative effects for the event in Montreal and Toronto, especially on the ATP side. Despite Wimbledon having been a good few weeks ago, Sinner and Djokovic have decided not to exert any injury in Canada and keep themselves fresh for the Cincinnati Open and most importantly the US Open.
Those tournaments are being prioritised over the Masters 1000 tournament in Canada who once again has fallen victim to some big names not participating. Alcaraz will also not feature but that is down to an ongoing wrist injury, although is return is coming closer.
Read also
Auger-Aliassime outlines possible solution for withdrawal problem
Whilst all the complaints and queries into these high profile withdrawals, nothing has been done to combat these. Auger-Aliassime is set to be the second highest ranked player competing on home soil behind Alexander Zverev and will be one of the favourites for the title.
He will be heavily boosted by the withdrawals of Sinner, Alcaraz and Djokovic but he was quick to talk about this topic, and not for the first time.
"I've often talked about this, and right now there are many discussions with the ATP and organisers to understand what can be done," he said. "Several ideas are on the table to find a balance between the need to protect players and the need to protect the tournaments as well."
He singled out one of the ideas among a list of others possibly being considered for the future. "One of the proposals would be to prevent players from missing the same tournament for two consecutive years. There are others too. We'll see what happens in the future."
Jannik Sinner and Novak Djokovic were late withdrawals from the Canadian Open 2026
Will this continue to be a problem in the future?
With the ATP and WTA calendars becoming more jam-packed and busy, players are being more picky over about what tournaments they participate in and which ones they tactically skip. Sometimes it is out of their hands through injuries or niggles picked up, becoming more common with more matches being played.
It is not just the men who have been getting headlines over withdrawals. Earlier in the year, both Aryna Sabalenka and Iga Swiatek caused a stir by dropping out of the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships.
A bitter blow to the event with Tournament director Salah Tahlak asking for the players to be docked ranking points and fined following late drop-outs from the WTA 1000 tournament. This got bemused looks from many at the time as certain tournaments continue to get overlooked by some of the players, including the Canadian Open.
Time will tell whether a solution will be found, but whether it is a popular choice made that the players and fans can get behind could be tricky. The events in Toronto and Montreal are going ahead currently in the first of a double-header of 1000 tournaments leading to the US Open.
Lucas MichaelTennis Journalist
Lucas Michael is a tennis journalist based in Cambridge, UK, specializing in comprehensive coverage of the ATP and WTA tours. For the past 1.5 years, he has been a core contributor to TennisUpToDate, where he has authored more than 3,000 data-driven match reports, deep-dive analysis pieces, and engaging liveblogs.
Lucas pairs real-time statistical analysis with on-the-ground reporting, frequently traveling to tournaments to cover the action firsthand from the press box and player press conferences. This blend of advanced metrics and direct access allows him to provide sharp context regarding player form, tactical trends, and breaking tour developments.
He holds a BA (Hons) in Sports Journalism. Grounded in core journalistic ethics, Lucas places a strict emphasis on meticulous sourcing, editorial accuracy, and a commitment to updating live content swiftly as verified information emerges.
claps 0visitors 0
Just In
Popular News
Latest Comments
- Wow!! Haven't seen a Volley-A-Thon like that in a long time. This Bejlik girl has some great stuff. Iga got a hell of a workout.
mandoist04-08-2026 - Yes, "so cruel". It's so bad she's been forced to "train" at an exclusive resort in St. Moritz, Switzerland.mandoist04-08-2026
- Writer states: "These different brands have slight differences that the players need to get used to" That is the dumbest F-ing thing I've heard in quite some time. A sports fan (I assume a fan) telling the World's Top Players they are, essentially, full of shit.mandoist02-08-2026
- No Final today. 200% Humidity.mandoist02-08-2026
- Pro Sports is still pretending the Climate is not going to be a physical health factor -- getting hotter and more debilitating for animals and Humans. Well, it's not whether the climate is "going to" get hotter... IT IS ALREADY HERE!! Sport governing bodies and venues are -- and have been -- disregarding the warnings regarding the Future temperatures when it comes to outdoor events and potential injury (or even death) of fans & athletes alike. Are these financially greedy entities intentionally pretending Climate Change is not happening? Or merely gambling with their own futures, as well as the athletes' health and futures as well? It is time to pay attention to the warming trend and be empathetic toward their money-makers (athletes) -- not PATHETIC.mandoist29-07-2026
- CORRECTION Required: Jannik is WORLD NO. 1 and not 2. "The same can be said for Sinner and Djokovic. The """"World No.2""""" cited health reasons for not going, preserving his body for the Cincinnati Open ahead of the important US Open. If he was set to participate in both, it would be a lot of tennis with him likely to win both tournaments ahead of the trip to Flushing Meadows."J29-07-2026
- That does not sound very healthy
AceOfBase29-07-2026 - Interesting to see and watch the son of a great tennis player. Will he get better than his dad, or not :-)AceOfBase29-07-2026
- What clear-thinking player at the top of the field needs to Double-up with Ranking No. 469??mandoist27-07-2026
- It's refreshing to see a young and evolving player with enough intelligence to not fall for this 'Williams Charade'. Too bad the WTA -- and all the phony insiders -- cannot be Honest about No. 469 and put a stop to it. WTA has Qualifiers for a reason!!mandoist27-07-2026
Loading