ATP Canadian Open in Toronto Presents Huge Opportunities

By KickServe · model-driven tennis analysis · July 28, 2025

• Expanded Field, Tight Schedule: For the first time, the tournament will be expanded to a 12-day, 96-player format. The final will actually take place on Thursday, August, 7, as the Atp squeezes two 1000 events into a 3-week period, with Atp Cincinnati kicking off on that same Thursday.

• Top Seeds Out: With four of the world's top players-Jannik Sinner, Novak Djokovic, Carlos Alcaraz, and Jack Draper-absent, the ATP Toronto tournament is set to deliver an unpredictable and opportunity-rich Masters 1000 event. Their withdrawals have shattered the usual hierarchy, leaving the door wide open for a breakthrough champion.
  

  Canada’s Best Shot in Decades
  

  Félix Auger-Aliassime and Denis Shapovalov headline a promising home contingent. Auger-Aliassime opened the season strong with two titles and recently helped Canada secure its first Hopman Cup. Shapovalov, also now a two-time titlist in 2025, rides high after a dominant win in Los Cabos, where he didn’t drop a set. Former finalist Milos Raonic returns to the draw, though questions remain around his physical readiness. #36 Gabriel Diallo only recently joined the top 50 in the world. He could face #2 seed Taylor Fritz in round 3.
  

  Meanwhile, 23-year-old Liam Draxl brings fresh energy. After starting the year ranked No. 247, the Ontarian soared to No. 111 thanks to his Winnipeg title and Granby runner-up finish this month. Granted a main draw wildcard, he’ll face 2022 champion Pablo Carreno Busta in round one. A strong performance could vault him into the top 100.
  

  Canada hasn’t claimed this title since 1958, and with national pride running high, the stakes for the home players couldn’t be greater.

A Reshuffled Contender Landscape

The absence of four of the top six ranked players reshapes the draw dramatically. Early-round matchups could pit rising stars against established names in what promises to be a near two weeks of fireworks. Alexei Popyrin won it last year in Montreal, having stunned the field last year with his electric hard-court game and clutch play in late rounds. His title run was a breakthrough moment-but he now risks a dramatic drop in ranking without a solid showing here. Top contenders include Alexander Zverev (+650), Taylor Fritz (+650), Alex De Minaur (+900) and Ben Shelton (+900) but with so many top players out, longshots have plenty of hope to take home this Masters 1000 title.