The Toronto Masters 2021 will start on Monday, August 9, as part of the road ahead to the last Grand Slam of the year, the US Open 2021. However, many stars won’t be competing in the Canadian Open, such as Roger Federer and World No. 1 Novak Djokovic.
Djokovic didn’t have the best start of the summer. The Serbian, 20-time Grand Slam champion, failed to win a medal at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games. First, he lost against German Alexander Zverev, who ultimately won gold, in semifinals; and then Pablo Carreño Busta stunned him to win bronze.
While Djokovic can’t win the Golden Slam anymore, he still can win the Grand Slam, meaning win the four majors in one calendar year. He will be only the third man to do it, after Don Budge in 1938 and Rod Laver in 1962 and '69. That’s why he’s taking his preparation for the US Open seriously.
Why won’t Novak Djokovic compete in the Toronto Masters 2021?
The Tournament Director, Karl Hale, said in a press release from July 24 that Novak Djokovic had withdrawn from the Canadian Open because he needed time to rest after participating in the grass season and the Olympic Games.
“It would have been fantastic to have hosted Novak [Djokovic] at the National Bank Open presented by Rogers this year,” said Hale in a press release according to the ATP Tour official page. “However, following a great run to his record-equalling 20th Grand Slam title at Wimbledon and his participation at the Olympic Games in Tokyo, we understand his decision. We wish him all the very best for the rest of the season."
Djokovic is a four-time winner of Canada’s ATP Masters 1000 tournament. Other players that will miss the action in Toronto will be Austrian Dominic Thiem, who has been dealing with personal issues; Swiss Stan Wawrinka and Belgian David Goffin, both with injuries.
