As the tennis world gears up for the final Grand Slam of the year, the 2025 US Open, two of the WTA’s brightest stars, world No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka and No. 10 Paula Badosa, have sent shockwaves through the sport by withdrawing from the National Bank Open in Montreal, a key WTA 1000 event starting July 26. The best friends, known for their fierce competitiveness and off-court camaraderie, cited contrasting reasons for their absence—fatigue for Sabalenka and a recurring injury for Badosa—highlighting the physical and mental toll of the grueling tennis calendar. With the US Open looming on August 24, their decisions reflect a strategic focus on peaking at Flushing Meadows, where Sabalenka aims to defend her 2024 title and Badosa hopes to reclaim her top form.
Sabalenka, the 27-year-old Belarusian powerhouse, has been a dominant force in 2025, despite not adding to her Grand Slam tally this year. With titles in Brisbane, Miami, and Madrid, and runner-up finishes at the Australian and French Opens, she has maintained her No. 1 ranking with over 3,580 points, leading Wimbledon champion Iga Swiatek by more than 1,400 points. Her recent semifinal run at Wimbledon, where she fell to Amanda Anisimova in a hard-fought 6-4, 4-6, 6-4 battle, marked her as the WTA player with the most match time on grass this season. “I think even though I lost a lot of finals, I lost tough matches at the slams this year, I still think that the consistency I was able to bring till this moment, it’s impressive,” Sabalenka reflected, showcasing her pride in her relentless campaign. Yet, the toll of those deep runs prompted her withdrawal from Montreal. “I’m looking forward to kicking off the North American hard-court swing, but to give myself the best chance for success this season, I’ve decided it’s in my best interest to skip Montreal,” she said, expressing regret to her Canadian fans while prioritizing rest for her US Open title defense. She plans to return at the Cincinnati Open in early August, her sole major tune-up before New York.
Badosa, meanwhile, faces a more familiar challenge: injury. The 27-year-old Spaniard, who reached a career-high No. 2 in 2022, has been plagued by physical setbacks, and her latest—a psoas muscle injury sustained after a first-round loss to Katie Boulter at Wimbledon—has sidelined her for weeks. “Due to a psoas injury, I will have to be out of competition for a few weeks. I am going through really tough times. Sometimes everything feels like a tunnel with no way out… but if there’s one thing I’ve always shown, it’s that I never stop fighting,” Badosa shared on social media, her words resonating with fans who admire her resilience. Her withdrawal from Montreal, where she reached the quarterfinals last year, jeopardizes 1,385 ranking points she must defend during the hard-court swing, a blow to her hopes of climbing back into the top tier. Despite reaching the Australian Open semifinals earlier this year, Badosa’s injury woes, including a walkover against Alex Eala in Madrid, underscore the challenges of her comeback journey.
The absence of Sabalenka and Badosa, announced on July 16, reshapes the Montreal field, with American Caty McNally and Japan’s Moyuka Uchijima stepping into the main draw. “We’re obviously disappointed that Aryna won’t be with us this year,” said tournament director Valerie Tetreault, echoing the sentiment for Badosa’s absence. The event, alternating between Montreal and Toronto, remains a star-studded affair, with Coco Gauff, Iga Swiatek, and defending champion Jessica Pegula headlining as the top seeds. Pegula, who won in Montreal in 2023 and Toronto in 2024, aims to continue her dominance, while Gauff, fresh off her French Open title, and Swiatek, the Wimbledon champion, pose significant threats.
The withdrawals come at a poignant moment, coinciding with Canadian star Eugenie Bouchard’s announcement that she will retire after the Montreal event, her hometown tournament. Bouchard, once ranked No. 5, reached the Wimbledon final in 2014 and semifinals at the Australian and French Opens that year, making her farewell a bittersweet backdrop to the event. For Sabalenka and Badosa, the focus now shifts to recovery and preparation. Sabalenka’s 2024 US Open triumph, her second Grand Slam after the 2023 Australian Open, showcased her devastating power and mental growth, while Badosa’s past successes, including a 2021 Indian Wells title, hint at her potential when healthy. As the tennis world converges on Flushing Meadows, fans eagerly await whether Sabalenka can repeat her heroics and if Badosa can overcome her physical setbacks to shine once more.
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