Canada's National Bank Open in Montreal has been marked by a series of setbacks for the country’s top male tennis players, as Félix Auger-Aliassime, Gabriel Diallo, and Denis Shapovalov have all withdrawn or retired due to injuries. These developments have raised concerns about the health and readiness of Canada’s leading athletes during a pivotal stage of the season.

Auger-Aliassime, the tournament’s No. 2 seed and local favorite, pulled out before his opening match on Wednesday, after sustaining a back injury during a practice session earlier in the week. Tennis Canada’s vice-president of high performance, Guillaume Marx, expressed cautious optimism regarding the severity of the injury, noting that Auger-Aliassime has experienced similar issues previously and is expected to recover quickly.

“Usually, it doesn’t take too long,” Marx said. “We’re pretty positive.”

The injury for Gabriel Diallo, who retired during his first-round match citing a leg issue, is less certain. Marx confirmed that Diallo will not participate in next week’s ATP Masters 1000 event in Cincinnati but refrained from providing a specific timeline for his recovery ahead of the U.S. Open, set to begin on August 23.

Denis Shapovalov, ranked No. 43 in the world, also retired early from his match on Tuesday due to an ankle injury. Shapovalov had only recently returned to competition following a month-long injury hiatus and had reached the final of an ATP 250 tournament in Los Cabos last week.

Marx pointed to the demanding nature of the current ATP calendar, highlighting the difficulties players face as they transition from grass and clay courts to the North American hard-court season. The shift in playing surfaces, combined with tight scheduling, increases the risk of injury and aggravates existing conditions, particularly on hard courts.

“The calendar is intense,” Marx said. “The margins are thin. Someone who is not at 100 percent basically has no chance.”

In addition to injury-related withdrawals, the tournament itself has seen significant upsets. On Wednesday, 12 seeded players—including top seed Alexander Zverev and fourth seed Daniil Medvedev—were eliminated, leaving no top-five ranked players in the round of 32. This marks a rare occurrence at an ATP Masters 1000 event, not seen since 1991.

Despite the absence of several high-profile contenders, Marx remains confident the event will crown a deserving champion, citing the depth of the field. He highlighted promising players such as 19-year-old Spaniard Rafael Jodar and noted potential breakthroughs from other competitors including Australia’s Alex de Minaur and Italy’s Lorenzo Musetti.

Thursday’s schedule features key matches with de Minaur facing Britain’s Cameron Norrie during the day session, followed by Jodar against Musetti and American Frances Tiafoe taking on France’s Arthur Rinderknech in the evening.

As the tournament progresses, the sport continues to grapple with the demands placed on players, amid an injury-plagued week in Montreal.