For a third consecutive season, neither Novak Djokovic nor Rafael Nadal is taking the court at the National Bank Open. Given that this tournament was cancelled in 2020 because of the Covid-19 pandemic, that means neither all-time great has played it since 2019 (and Djokovic hasn’t played it since 2018, when he lost to Stefanos Tsitsipas in the third round).
Nonetheless, the field remains a strong one for the first of back-to-back Masters 1000 events in North America in the buildup toward the U.S. Open. Wimbledon champion Carlos Alcaraz is the top seed ahead of Daniil Medvedev, Casper Ruud, Tsitsipas, Holger Rune, Andrey Rublev, and Jannik Sinner.
Let’s take a look at what could be in store this coming week in Toronto.
National Bank Open Presented by Rogers
Where: Toronto, Canada
Surface: Hard
Prize money: $6,600,000
Points: 1000
Top seed: Carlos Alcaraz
2022 champion: Pablo Carreno Busta (not playing)
Draw analysis: In a compilation of top players being asked to make their predictions for the hard-court swing, one of Medvedev’s answers was “a lot of Alcaraz-Sinner matches. I think we all want it.”
We all want it, and we might get it right away in Toronto. Sinner landed in the top half of the draw on Friday, so the two emerging rivals are on a collision course for the semifinals. However, it won’t be easy to make that matchup a reality. Alcaraz’s path to the final four could include fellow 20-year-old Ben Shelton, Hubert Hurkacz (third round), and Rune (quarterfinals). Sinner likely awaits fellow Italian Matteo Berrettini in his opening match and Andy Murray is a potential third-round opponent. Tsitsipas, Grigor Dimitrov, and Chris Eubanks are also in Sinner’s quarter of the bracket.
The bottom half is not quite as loaded, although Medvedev vs. Taylor Fritz and Rublev vs. Alexander Zverev would be intriguing quarterfinal matchups. Medvedev and Fritz find themselves in an otherwise soft section, while Rublev and Zverev may have more difficulty advancing with Ruud, Frances Tiafoe, and a red-hot Tallon Griekspoor lurking nearby.
Notable first-round showdowns in Toronto are Zverev vs. Griekspoor, Murray vs. Lorenzo Sonego, Hurkacz vs. Alexander Bublik, Eubanks vs. Gael Monfils, and Cameron Norrie vs. Alex de Minaur.
Hot: Carlos Alcaraz, Daniil Medvedev, Stefanos Tsitsipas, Andrey Rublev, Jannik Sinner, Taylor Fritz, Alexander Zverev, Lorenzo Musetti, Tallon Griekspoor, Chris Eubanks, Dan Evans
Cold: Felix Auger-Aliassime, Cameron Norrie, Borna Coric, Ben Shelton, Gael Monfils, Sebastian Korda, Milos Raonic, Vasek Pospisil
Quarterfinal predictions: Carlos Alcaraz over Francisco Cerundolo, Jannik Sinner over Stefanos Tsitsipas, Alexander Zverev over Frances Tiafoe, and Daniil Medvedev over Alex de Minaur
Semifinals: Sinner over Alcaraz and Medvedev over Zverev
Final: Medvedev over Sinner
Alcaraz will win in Toronto.
Loved that interview w/the top players…Fun!…and don’t forget about Tiafoe and Rune!!!