Canadian Open boss tells Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz ‘ensure you will compete in 2026’
The 2025 Canadian Open lacked star power as Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz were among several high-profile players who didn’t feature, but the tournament director is confident that won’t be the case next year.
World No 1 Sinner as well as five-time Grand Slam winner Alcaraz, 24-time major winner Novak Djokovic and world No 5 Jack Draper were all absent from the ATP Masters 1000 tournament as they opted to take a long break after Wimbledon.
Reigning world No 3 Alexander Zverev inherited the top seed with Taylor Fritz No 2 and Lorenzo Musetti No 3.
In the absence of the big-name players, fourth seed Ben Shelton emerged as the title winner as he defeated Karen Khachanov in the final to capture his maiden Masters 1000 trophy.
But it was the second year in a row that the Canadian Open was hit hard by withdrawals as in 2024 Alcaraz, Djokovic and a host of other big names missed the tournament due to the 2024 Paris Olympics.
Tournament Director Karl Hale, though, says he is hopeful that Sinner and Alcaraz will play in 2026 as there will be a “significant change” to the ATP Tour calendar.
“Losing the top players is not something we desire,” he said on the Nothing Major Podcast with John Isner. “I believe Carlos and Jannik should consider our circuit, the ATP, and commit to playing.
“We are in talks with them to ensure they participate next year. In 2026, there will be three weeks between Wimbledon and Montreal. This year there were only two. That’s a significant change.”
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The lengthy tennis season remains a big problem and the likes of Alcaraz and Zverev have been very vocal about the issue in recent years and after his second-round win at the Cincinnati Open, Alcaraz again made reference to it.
“I love having time for me if I have to be honest. I always say that’s what you are working for as well, you know?” he said on the Tennis Channel.
“Okay, I love playing tennis and I love when I step on the court, but sometimes it’s too many days in a row, too many weeks in a row. So I just love to take my time off just with my family, with my friends, just at home, doing nothing at all.”
And Hale acknowledged that things need to change.
“The calendar has a problem: it’s too long. There are many 250 and 500 tournaments. The Saudi tournament is upcoming, and soon they will announce its schedule and duration,” he added.
“When Sinner and Alcaraz withdrew this year, we spoke with them and said, ‘Okay, in 2026 you will be in Montreal. Ensure that happens’. I’m confident they will be there next year, with the bonuses we offer and the three weeks between tournaments.”
