"We have not decided yet": Carlos Alcaraz's Canadian Open participation still undecided contrary to reports

Carlos Alcaraz's participation in the Canadian Open remains uncertain, despite earlier expectations of his return at the tournament. It was recently announced that the Spaniard would not be in Toronto, joining other high-profile withdrawals like Jannik Sinner, Novak Djokovic, and Jack Draper.

According to DAZN News, "Carlitos" has not yet decided whether he will play in Canada or Cincinnati, the latter being where he reached the final in 2023. The world No. 2's primary goal on the North American hardcourts is to contend for his 6th Grand Slam title at the US Open, which is why he decided to skip Toronto to arrive in better physical condition.

It was announced this past weekend that Alcaraz would withdraw from Canada, though his camp has chosen to keep the decision uncertain for now. The Canadian Open begins in one week, potentially marking a packed month of tennis for players with Alcaraz's ambitions. He knows he has serious chances to go deep in each tournament during this very busy part of the year.

The Canadian Open will last about 10 days, followed immediately by the Cincinnati Open, which also spans approximately 10 days. In Cincinnati, Alcaraz only defends 10 points after a surprising second-round loss in 2024 to Gael Monfils. The 5-time Grand Slam champion therefore has little to lose in terms of ranking points, so his main concern is finding the best path to reach peak performance for the US Open.

In a recent DAZN News publication, they revealed a conversation with Alcaraz's agent, Albert Molina, who stated that Alcaraz's participation in Canada is not 100% ruled out, nor did he confirm a potential return in Cincinnati, leaving everything uncertain. "In reality, he is evaluating whether to return to Toronto, we have not decided yet," Molina reportedly said.

Other notable players like Jannik Sinner, Novak Djokovic, and Aryna Sabalenka have also opted out of participating in Canada, taking a couple of weeks off from competition to recover. However, all of them – at least for now – have confirmed their participation in the Cincinnati Open.

Their objective would be to play Cincinnati as their sole preparatory hardcourt tournament before arriving at Flushing Meadows. However, this might not be the same option Alcaraz takes, as his agents have confirmed they are still evaluating whether it's the best idea to play the Masters 1000 prior to the year's final Grand Slam. There is a week-long break between the Cincinnati final and the start of the US Open, during which Alcaraz – as well as the other players mentioned – will be in New York preparing for the final Grand Slam of the year.

During that week, the US Open mixed doubles draw will also take place, where Alcaraz will partner with Emma Raducanu, Novak Djokovic with Olga Danilovic, Aryna Sabalenka with Grigor Dimitrov, and Jannik Sinner with Emma Navarro. Although the mixed doubles event shouldn't signify an overly demanding physical load, it is another commitment for which the big stars will need to be ready.

One of the problems players frequently mention is the demanding ATP and WTA calendar, which they say is a primary cause of the constant injuries seen on both tours. For this reason, top players have opted to skip some significant tournaments throughout the year. With a good portion of the season already played, they take the need for physical preservation even more seriously, even if it means sacrificing some points in Masters tournaments.

• Canadian Open: July 26 – August 7

• Cincinnati Open: August 7 – 18

• US Open Mixed Doubles: August 19 – 20

• US Open Singles Draw: August 25 – September 8