ATP National Bank Open Odds: Alcaraz, the Toronto newcomer
Djokovic, Shapovalov and Kyrgios Among Players to Pull Out of National Bank Open
Nine of the Top 10 Players in the ATP Rankings Are Set to Play in Toronto
There will be the normal star-studded field in Toronto with four-time champion Novak Djokovic the only top-10 ranked player not currently in the field. When it comes to the ATP National Bank Open odds, Wimbledon champion and World No. 1 Carlos Alcaraz will be the player to beat. Daniil Medvedev, Casper Ruud and Stefanos Tsitsipas are the other players ranked in the top five in the ATP rankings in the field.
This is the first of back-to-back 1000 events as the North American summer hard court season kicks into high gear and the preparation for the US Open starts to get serious.
The 56-player field begins on Monday.
The goal for the players will be to get ready for a run to the final Grand Slam event of 2023.
Alcaraz leads the way in the US Open outrights with +120 followed by Djokovic at +150 and Medvedev coming in at +450.
The First Time the Charm?
Alcaraz leads the ATP National Bank Open odds despite the fact that he has never played in Toronto.
Alcaraz debuted in the tournament in 2022 when it was held in Montreal and lost to Tommy Paul in three sets in the second round after receiving a first-round bye.
Alcaraz hasn’t played since winning a five-set Wimbledon final against Djokovic to return to the top of the rankings. It was one of the most memorable tennis results of 2023. He is the defending US Open champion so he knows something about having success on the hard courts.
The Usual Suspects
Djokovic and Rafael Nadal have combined to win the tournament nine times and neither will be playing in Toronto. There are plenty of other options as players capable of challenging Alcaraz and will be popular when it comes to those betting on tennis.
Medvedev won the 2021 title, Hubert Hurkacz took the first set in the 2022 final in an event when four of the top five seeds failed to advance past the second round. Keep that in mind when looking at the ATP National Bank Open odds.
Casper Ruud reached the semifinals in 2022 while Canadian Felix Auger-Aliassime lost to Ruud in the quarterfinals. Auger-Aliassime is seeded once again as he looks to become the first player from Canada to win the event since Brendan Macken in 1950.
Tsitsipas, Holger Rune and Jannik Sinner are dangerous in any tournament they enter and recent tournaments, both in Montreal and Canada made it clear to expect the unexpected.
Djokovic Not Coming to Toronto
Novak Djokovic, who would have been the No. 2 seed, announced about two weeks before the start of the tournament that he was pulling out of the field as a result of fatigue.
“I have always enjoyed my time in Canada but after speaking with my team, we believe this is the right decision to take,” Djokovic said in a press release. “I would like to thank Karl Hale, the Tournament Director, for understanding this decision. I really hope I can return to Canada and Toronto in the coming years to play in front of great fans there.”
Djokovic is a four-time winner in Canada and has a 37-7 in the event.
Losing a Hometown Star
Plenty of eyes would have been on 24-year-old Canadian Denis Shapovalov when the tournament got underway. However, a knee injury forced the 2017 semifinals to withdraw from the tournament.
Shapovalov will still take part in the on-court ceremony before the start of the Monday night session
I’m really disappointed to announce my withdrawal from the National Bank Open in Toronto,” Shapovalov said in a statement. “I’ve been doing everything possible to get my knee healthy and be able to compete but unfortunately it needs more time. There’s no greater honor than playing at your home tournament and I will really miss playing in Toronto. I’m going to keep focusing on getting healthy and I know I’ll see you all in Canada next year.”
Defending champion Pablo Carrero Busta joins Nick Kyrgios as others who pulled out of the tournament.
A Look At the US Hopes
Americans Taylor Fritz, Frances Tiafoe and Tommy Paul will be seeded in the tournament as they look to become the first U.S.-born player to win the event since Andy Roddick in 2003.
Fritz and Tiafoe are both playing in Washington, D.C. as is fast-rising American Christopher Eubanks.
After three straight first-round exits, Fritz topped Andy Murray and Tiafoe before falling to Daniel Evans 7-5 in the third set in the Round of 16 in the 2022 event. When looking at the ATP scores, Fritz and Tiafoe played their way into the quarterfinals in the Washington, D.C. event.
Tiafoe has reached the Round of 16 twice when the tournament has been in Toronto. His results when the event is played in Montreal aren’t as impressive.
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