Andy Murray, according to the website for the Rogers Cup, will not be participating in next week's ATP Masters Series tournament in Montreal. The Rogers Cup announced Murray's withdrawal on Thursday at the website stating that Murray "needs more time to heal his hip injury." The news follows speculation after Wimbledon that Murray would be missing time due to his health. Tim Henman, for example, is one person that knows Murray well that has suggested that the Scot should go on an extended break to get better.
The World No. 1 was always going to be at stake at the 2017 Rogers Cup, provided that Rafael Nadal contested the draw.
The Spaniard now has an excellent chance of overtaking Murray for the top spot. Nadal is currently 285 ranking points behind Murray for the World No. 1. If the Spaniard can make the semifinals in Montreal, then he would become the new No. 1 on August 14th.
Murray's withdrawal statement
The Rogers Cup quoted Murray on Thursday in his withdrawal statement: “I am sad to be missing the tournament in Montreal because I have many great memories from my time in Canada. I am doing everything I can to return as quickly as possible.” Murray is a past champion at the Rogers Cup multiple times, winning in both Toronto and Montreal. His withdrawal means that Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer will be the top seeds in what is looking like an increasingly depleted tournament for talent.
Not only will Murray be missing, but it was previously announced that Stan Wawrinka would not be in the draw. Furthermore, Marin Cilic also announced that he would not be contesting Montreal. With Novak Djokovic, the defending champion, having shut down his whole season the Rogers Cup field has taken a big hit at the high end.
Milos Raonic, Dominic Thiem, Kei Nishikori, and other secondary players may take on increased importance at the event.
More withdrawals to come?
It should be noted that there currently are three tournaments running on the ATP Tour in Kitzbuhel, Washington, and Los Cabos. It's not uncommon for players that do well in an event to skip the next week of tennis.
For that reason, tennis fans in Canada should not be surprised if there are even more withdrawals in the days ahead. Following the 2016 season, which saw numerous players miss the Rogers Cup in preparation for the Rio Olympics, the tournament in Canada hasn't quite been as loaded as it has been in the past.
Andy Murray still appears on the players' list for the Western & Southern Open in Cincinnati. If he ends up missing that event, he will lose the No. 1 ranking for certain as he has a runnerup finish from last year to defend.
