Canadian Denis Shapovalov is withdrawing from the National Bank Open presented by Rogers in Toronto due to a knee injury, Tennis Canada confirmed on Tuesday.
The 24-year-old most recently played at Wimbledon, where he reached the round of 16. Shapovalov’s best performance at the National Bank Open came in 2017 when he reached the semi-finals as a wild card, beating No. 1 seed Rafael Nadal in an epic third round match at IGA Stadium.
Despite being unable to play, Shapovalov will take part in the on-court ceremony just prior to the night session of Monday, August 7 to honor Team Canada presented by Sobeys’ Davis Cup champions.
"I’m really disappointed to announce my withdrawal from the National Bank Open in Toronto,” Shapovalov said. “I’ve been doing everything possible to get my knee healthy and be able to compete but unfortunately it needs more time. There’s no greater honor than playing at your home tournament and I will really miss playing in Toronto. I’m going to keep focusing on getting healthy and I know I’ll see you all in Canada next year."
“While we’re disappointed that Denis will be unable to take part in this year’s tournament, the most important thing is his health and recovery,” said Karl Hale, Tournament Director, National Bank Open – Toronto. “We know that he has tried everything to be ready and the tournament has unfortunately come just too soon. He will be missed by the fans here in Toronto who always enjoy cheering on a hometown player.”
Nick Kyrgios and Pablo Carreno Busta have also confirmed their withdrawals. As a result, Emil Ruusuvuori, J.J. Wolf and Kei Nishikori will now gain automatic entry into the main draw.
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