Canadian Open Expansion and Player Concerns

This year’s Canadian Open has been extended to a 12-day event, a departure from its previous seven-day format.

Amidst withdrawals from prominent players like Jannik Sinner, Carlos Alcaraz, and Novak Djokovic for the Masters 1000 event in Canada, American tennis professional Taylor Fritz has voiced his disapproval of the increasingly packed tennis schedule, according to reports.

Sinner, the reigning Wimbledon champion, along with 24-time Grand Slam victor Djokovic, Alcaraz, and British player Jack Draper, have opted out of the Canadian Open, citing injuries and demanding schedules.

The scheduling sees the Canadian Open commencing a mere two weeks following the conclusion of Wimbledon.

With player well-being in mind, a number of leading athletes have chosen to forgo participation in the event, and some are expressing dissatisfaction.

Fritz is among those critical of the situation, denouncing the elongated tennis calendar as excessive.

“For quite some time, most players have desired a shorter season. However, the trend seems to be extending it, incorporating more elements, and creating longer tournaments,” Fritz commented.

“The Hopman Cup occurred after Wimbledon, a fact I was unaware of. An event featuring players like Felix Auger-Aliassime and Flavio Cobolli took place immediately after Wimbledon, with one of them scheduled to compete here. This is unreasonable, as we continue to add events to the schedule,” he added.

The Masters 1000s tournament, encompassing events in Canada and the Cincinnati Open, is slated to span three weeks. The Montreal event will conclude on Thursday, August 7, coinciding with the start of the Cincinnati competition.

The American athlete suggests the season needs greater adaptability.

“It appears some segments were shortened to accommodate this extra week, effectively creating a three-week interval between the two tournaments,” Fritz explained.

“It’s ironic how we identify methods to condense the schedule to make space for additional tournaments, yet we struggle to find room to shorten it for the sake of rest,” he concluded.