Novak Djokovic won't be competing at the 2023 Canadian Open in Toronto as he withdrew from the ATP 1000 tournament.
After losing in the 2023 Wimbledon Championships final to Carlos Alcaraz, the 36-year-old Serb has enjoyed some time with his family. And despite hinting that he wants to challenge the young Spaniard already at the 2023 US Open, many wanted to see their meeting already earlier.
One of those events could have been the 2023 Canadian Open in Toronto, as both players appeared on the entry list for the Canadian ATP 1000 tournament. However, recently, reports broke out that Djokovic won't compete in Toronto, and now it's confirmed.
When talking about tournaments that he'll attend, the 23-time Grand Slam champion didn't mention the 2023 Canadian Open in Toronto, which runs from August 7th to 13th, and now it's clear why, as he announced his withdrawal.
Withdrawing from the tournament, also called the National Bank Open, Djokovic cited fatigue as the reason for withdrawal, and in his statement, he thanked the tournament director Karl Hale for understanding his decision.
"I have always enjoyed my time in Canada but after speaking with my team, we believe this is the right decision to take. I would like to thank Karl Hale, the Tournament Director, for understanding this decision. I really hope I can return to Canada and Toronto in the coming years to play in front of great fans there."
For the tournament, it's certainly not the best news, as they would certainly be happy to host another edition of the emerging rivalry between Djokovic and Alcaraz. But that will now have to wait at least until the 2023 Cincinnati Masters, where both appear on the entry list.
And while millions of fans around the world are saddened by the news, there's at least one person that is certainly happy, and his name is Christopher Eubanks. The American enjoyed a sensational run at the 2023 Wimbledon, and after Djokovic's withdrawal, he moved directly into the main draw.
When talking about Djokovic's withdrawal, tournament director Karl Hale shared that the organizers are obviously disappointed, but he also remembered to highlight the fact that the entry list for the tournament is star-studded regardless.
"Of course, we’re disappointed that Novak won’t be playing at the National Bank Open this year. He’s an incredible player and one we know our fans were eager to watch at Sobeys Stadium. He will be missed but we still have a long list of sensational players confirmed for this year’s event, including 41 of the top 42 players in the world."
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