The tennis world felt a jolt of surprise as World No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka announced her withdrawal from the 2025 National Bank Open in Montreal, a WTA 1000 event set to run from July 26 to August 7. The 27-year-old Belarusian, known for her thunderous groundstrokes and fierce competitiveness, cited fatigue as the primary reason for her decision, opting to prioritize rest and recovery ahead of her US Open title defense later in August. Sabalenka’s absence from the star-studded tournament, one of the premier stops on the North American hard-court swing, has reshaped the draw and sparked discussions about her strategic approach to the season’s final Grand Slam.
Sabalenka’s 2025 campaign has been a whirlwind of high-stakes tennis. With a remarkable 47-9 win-loss record, she has played 56 matches this year—more than any other player in the WTA Top 50. Her season included deep runs at the Australian Open and French Open finals, where she fell to Madison Keys and Coco Gauff, respectively, and a semifinal appearance at Wimbledon, where she was defeated by Amanda Anisimova in a grueling three-set battle. That same American, Anisimova, also bested Sabalenka in the 2024 Canadian Open quarterfinals, adding a layer of context to her decision to skip Montreal this year. “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,” Sabalenka said in a heartfelt statement. “I’ll miss my amazing Canadian fans, but I’m already looking forward to seeing you all next year. Thanks for your understanding and support—it means the world to me.”
The decision reflects Sabalenka’s growing maturity as a strategist. At 27, the defending US Open champion, who claimed her maiden title at Flushing Meadows in 2024, understands the toll her power-driven game takes on her body. Her 2025 season has been a testament to her consistency, with titles in Brisbane, Miami, and Madrid, and a semifinal showing in Berlin. Yet, the physical and mental demands of her schedule, coupled with the emotional sting of three Grand Slam near-misses this year, have prompted a calculated move to preserve her energy for the Cincinnati Open in early August and the US Open, starting August 24. “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 after her Wimbledon loss. “This experience shows that next year I’m only hungrier and angrier. These tough defeats help me to come back much stronger.”
Sabalenka’s withdrawal is not an isolated move. World No. 10 Paula Badosa, her close friend, also pulled out of Montreal due to a lingering back injury, while three-time Grand Slam finalist Ons Jabeur and World No. 44 Sonay Kartal have opted out for scheduling reasons. Tournament director Valerie Tetreault expressed her disappointment, saying, “We’re obviously disappointed that Aryna won’t be with us this year.” The absences have opened spots for American Caty McNally and Japan’s Moyuka Uchijima in the main draw, while Canadian star Eugenie Bouchard prepares for an emotional farewell, set to retire after her final appearance on home soil.
Despite missing Montreal, Sabalenka remains the player to beat on hard courts, where all three of her Grand Slam titles have been won. Her 2024 Cincinnati triumph and US Open victory underscore her dominance on the surface. By skipping Montreal, where her best result was a 2021 semifinal, Sabalenka is banking on peaking at Flushing Meadows to secure a fourth major title. “It seems like in all of these three tough defeats in the Slams, for me, I wasn’t trusting myself,” she admitted post-Wimbledon, hinting at a mental reset as she prepares for the season’s final major. For now, the tennis world awaits her return in Cincinnati, where she’ll aim to harness her hunger and power to defend her crown.
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