Top Tennis Stars Withdraw From Canadian Open Over Schedule Burnout

Jannik Sinner, Novak Djokovic, and Alexander Zverev have withdrawn from the Canadian Open in Montreal this week to protest the professional tennis schedule.

The collective withdrawal of three of the world's highest-ranked players signals a growing rift between elite athletes and tour organizers over player welfare. By exiting a major event, these players are leveraging their marketability to demand a reduction in the annual calendar to prevent physical and mental exhaustion.

World No. 1 Jannik Sinner ^[2] and World No. 3 Alexander Zverev ^[3] joined 24-time Grand Slam champion Novak Djokovic ^[1] in pulling out of the event. The players cited the expanded two-week Masters 1000 format ^[4] as a primary driver of burnout. This format change has increased the time spent on tour, leaving athletes with less recovery time between high-intensity tournaments.

The players called for a shorter tour schedule to ensure longevity and health. They argued that the current pace of the circuit is unsustainable given the physical demands of the modern game. The decision to withdraw from the Montreal event serves as a public call for the governing bodies to reconsider the structural layout of the season.

Tennis officials have not yet announced a formal response to the request for a shorter calendar. However, the absence of such high-profile names significantly impacts the Canadian Open's viewership and ticket demand. The players said the expanded format is the core issue leading to the current state of burnout.