Mind the Gap

Maybe it’s best to start with absence. The Canadian Open is hosted in Toronto and Montreal two weeks after Wimbledon and one month before the US Open. Men and women play in different cities, swapping between the two every year. The tournament’s placement within the schedule makes it prone to withdrawals from both the men and women’s sides, as players prioritize rest and recovery in between Grand Slams. This is becoming a proliferative occurrence as the ATP and WTA tour seasons becomes longer and more arduous with players having to play in longer tournaments (many ATP Masters 1000 tournaments have been bloated from 10 days to a Grand Slam’s fortnight) and in more tournaments generally; the gruelling ATP schedule competes with the behest upon players to serve various international tennis communities with their presence.