Novak Djokovic has decided to withdraw from next month’s National Bank Open in Toronto due to fatigue. The tournament starts from August 7. With four Canada ATP Masters 1000 titles under his belt, Djokovic has enjoyed notable success at the National Bank Open. Djokovic last competed in the tournament in 2018.
His current record in the event stands at an enviable 37-7. The 23-time Grand Slam winner’s surprise withdrawal will pave the way for American Christopher Eubanks to be a part of the main draw. Eubanks will head into the tournament having secured an impressive outing at this year’s Wimbledon.
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“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,” 36-year-old Djokovic said in a press release shared by Tennis Canada.
Eubanks got the better of No. 5 seed Stefanos Tsitsipas and No. 12 seed Cameron Norrie to reach the quarter-finals of Wimbledon 2023. But the 27-year-old’s sensational Wimbledon run came to an end at the last-eight having suffered a defeat at the hands of world number three Daniil Medvedev in a five-set thriller.
Djokovic is having a great year. The Serb has already won the French Open and Australian Open. He has a spectacular record of 33-5 in 2023. Djokovic’s chances of winning a record-equalling eighth Wimbledon title were shattered after he lost to young Spanish sensation Carlos Alcaraz in the final.
World number one Alcaraz clinched an epic 1-6, 7-6, 6-1, 3-6, 6-4 victory to claim his maiden Wimbledon title. The match also brought an end to Djokovic’s incredible winning streak on the Centre Court. Before this year’s Wimbledon final defeat, Djokovic had a 45-match unbeaten run on Centre Court with his last defeat against Britain’s Andy Murray back in 2013.
“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,” said Karl Hale, the Tournament Director, National Bank Open – Toronto.
