Novak Djokovic has pulled out of the Toronto Masters due to fatigue following his efforts in reaching the Wimbledon final.
The world No. 2 was defeated by Carlos Alcaraz in a five-set thriller at the All England Club and announced on Sunday that he needs more time to recover.
“I have always enjoyed my time in Canada but after speaking with my team, we believe this is the right decision to take,” Djokovic said.
“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.”
The ATP Masters 1000 event begins on August 7 and is one of the key events in the lead-up to the US Open at the end of the month.
“Of course, we’re disappointed that Novak won’t be playing at the National Bank Open this year,” said Tournament Director Hale.
“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.”
Djokovic will be replaced in the draw by one of the sensations of this year’s Wimbledon draw, Christopher Eubanks.
The big-serving American went on a stunning run to the quarter-finals at SW19, beating seeds Stefanos Tsitsipas and Cameron Norrie before eventually falling to Daniil Medvedev.
Djokovic will bid for a record-extending 24th career Grand Slam singles title and his third of the season at Flushing Meadows later in August, after wins at the Australian Open and Roland-Garros.
