Montreal's hopes for strong performances from its top men's tennis players at the National Bank Open have been dashed due to injuries affecting Félix Auger-Aliassime, Gabriel Diallo, and Denis Shapovalov. Auger-Aliassime, the tournament's No. 2 seed and local favorite, was forced to withdraw before his opening match after sustaining a back injury during a practice session two days earlier. His absence followed early exits by Diallo and Shapovalov in their first-round matches the day before, leaving Canada's top male players sidelined for the event.
Guillaume Marx, vice-president of high performance at Tennis Canada, admitted the timing of the injuries was disappointing given the excitement surrounding the event. However, he remained optimistic about Auger-Aliassime's recovery. The 21-year-old had trained extensively in Montreal over two weeks ahead of the tournament, and Marx noted that the injury was not new to him. "This isn’t something unfamiliar to Félix. It’s a known issue," Marx said. "We’re confident he’ll come back quickly."
Diallo's Injury and Concerns
Marx was less hopeful about Diallo's situation. The 24-year-old Montreal native suffered a leg injury that will prevent him from competing in next week's ATP Masters 1000 event in Cincinnati. The injury comes at a concerning time, especially with the U.S. Open starting on August 23. "We will be closely monitoring Gabriel's recovery," Marx said.
Marx suggested the current injuries could be linked to the rigorous ATP schedule during this time of year. As players transition from grass and clay to North American hard courts, the change in surfaces places a heavy physical toll. He described the period as a "critical" one, often reactivating old injuries. "This is when players are most vulnerable," he said. "Hard courts tend to expose old issues that were once dormant."
Marx added that the packed schedule leaves little room for error. Players who are even slightly below peak fitness have little chance of success. As he said, if a player isn’t at 100 percent, their performance likely won’t reflect their potential.
Opportunities for New Talent
Despite the early exits of top Canadian stars, Marx remained confident that the tournament would produce a worthy champion. He noted the depth of the competition, suggesting the absence of top seeds could open the door for new talent to shine.
Rafael Jodar, a 19-year-old from Spain, is one such player Marx highlighted. The young Spaniard has impressed this summer, and Marx believes he has the potential to surprise in the field. "Masters 1000 events usually feature strong depth of talent," he said. "Jodar is a standout. Lorenzo Musetti is coming back — we’ll see how far he can go."
Alex de Minaur, the rising star from Australia, will face Britain’s Cameron Norrie. Later, Jodar will play against Italian Lorenzo Musetti, who is in the process of recovering from recent injuries. Six of the top eight seeds had been eliminated from the singles draw by Thursday. The tournament was already without current world No. 1 Jannik Sinner, the injured Carlos Alcaraz and 24-time Grand Slam champion Novak Djokovic.
Twelve seeded players, including top seed Alexander Zverev and fourth seed Daniil Medvedev, were eliminated in a single day, meaning no player ranked in the top five reached the round of 32. This marks the first time since 1991 that an ATP Masters 1000 event had no top-five seeds at that stage. Marx said the situation shows how unpredictable the tournament has become.
He added that, while the early exits were unfortunate, they haven’t reduced the tournament's potential. With emerging talents like Jodar stepping into the spotlight, the competition remains wide open.
The evening session will see Jodar face Musetti, followed by a match between American Frances Tiafoe and France’s Arthur Rinderknech. The unpredictable nature of the field could lead to an unexpected champion, a rarity at an event with such a storied tennis history.
The National Bank Open remains a key fixture on the ATP calendar. While the absence of Canada’s top men’s players is a setback, it has also created an opportunity for new stars to rise. As Marx said, the tournament will still produce a strong champion, even if the field is more balanced than expected.