Naomi Osaka, Sofia Kenin and Iga Swiatek pull out of National Bank Open in Montreal

Slated to begin before the US Open, the National Bank Open (Rogers Cup) suffered a loss of star power on Tuesday as the tournament organizers announced the withdrawal of several top stars, headlined by World No.2 Naomi Osaka.

In addition to Osaka, the directors also announced that two Grand Slam winners had also withdrawn from the event, with 2020 Australian Open winner Sofia Kenin and 2020 Roland Garros champion Iga Swiatek opting to pull out from the event.

Having not competed since Roland Garros, Osaka suffered a third-round loss at the Tokyo Olympics. Swiatek also competed in Tokyo, losing in the second round. However, Sofia Kenin did not compete at the Olympics as she has been sidelined by a foot injury since Wimbledon.

Although no reason has been given for any withdrawal, it must be disconcerting for the tournament to lose three Top 10 players so close to the event. The National Bank Open is slated to begin on August 9, 2021.