Novak Djokovic withdraws from Canadian Open 2023 due to fatigue

Novak Djokovic has officially announced his withdrawal from the 2023 National Bank Open in Toronto, Canada.

Following his run to the Wimbledon 2023 final, Djokovic has cited fatigue as the cause for his withdrawal from the ATP Masters 1000 event. The Serb has won the Canadian Open title on four previous occasions, in 2007, 2011, 2012, and 2017. He last competed at the event in 2018.

On Sunday, July 23, Djokovic announced his decision to pull out of the Canadian Open. He expressed his gratitude towards the tournament director, Karl Hale, for understanding his decision and also stated his desire to return to the ATP Masters 1000 event in the future.

“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," he said in a press release.

Karl Hale expressed his disappointment with the Serb's absence. The tournament director acknowledged Djokovic's incredible talent and the fans' anticipation to watch the Serb in action at the Sobeys Stadium before highlighting the exciting lineup of players set to compete at the Canadian Open.

“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," he said.

Novak Djokovic's withdrawal has allowed for Christopher Eubanks to gain automatic entry into the main draw of the Canadian Open, following the American's fairytale run to the quarterfinals of Wimbledon 2023.

The 2023 Canadian Open is scheduled to commence on August 7.

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"I hope we get to play in US Open" - Novak Djokovic following Wimbledon 2023 final against Carlos Alcaraz

Carlos Alcaraz defeated the Serb at Wimbledon 2023

Carlos Alcaraz defeated Novak Djokovic 1-6, 7-6(6), 6-1, 3-6, 6-4 in the 2023 Wimbledon Championships final to claim his maiden title at the grasscourt Major and his second Grand Slam title overall.

Following his defeat, the Serb hoped that the final marked the start of a big rivalry with Alcaraz. He also expressed his desire to compete against the Spaniard at the 2023 US Open.

"I would hope so, for my sake (smiling)," he said. "Yeah, I hope we get to play in US Open. Why not? I think it's good for the sport, 1 and 2 in the world facing each other in almost a five-hours, five-set thriller. Couldn't be better for our sport in general, so why not?"

Carlos Alcaraz leads 2-1 in his head-to-head against Novak Djokovic. The youngster currently leads the Race to the ATP Finals with 6,675 points to his name. Djokovic, meanwhile, ranks second, having won 5,945 points so far this season.