Former World No.12 Sends Message to the Fans Disappointed in Jannik Sinner Pulling Back on the Calendar-Year Golden Masters

Former World No.12 Paolo Bertolucci has sent a message to all the disappointed fans of Jannik Sinner who were expected to see him continue his pursuit of the Calendar Year Golden Masters. The World No.1 extinguished all those hopes after withdrawing from the Canadian Open.

Speaking on X, Bertolucci says that Sinner’s priority is the US Open, which he relinquished to Carlos Alcaraz in last year’s final. Sinner won the opening five Masters 1000 events this year, completing the Career Golden Masters at the Italian Open.

There are those who ask Sinner to try to win all 1000 of 2026! An absurd request that will never be fulfilled. He’ll aim for the US Open.

Paolo Bertolucci said on X (translated)

Sinner’s first Masters 1000 title came at the Canadian Open in 2023. The Italian beat Alex de Minaur to register his first big title win. He only needed less than 3 years to complete the set of winning all 9 Masters 1000 events.

C’è chi chiede a Sinner di provare a vincere tutti i 1000 del 2026! Richiesta assurda che non verrà mai esaudita. Punterà all’US open.

— paolo bertolucci (@paolobertolucci) July 15, 2026

Outside of the Career Golden Masters, Sinner has made more history at the Masters 1000 events this year. He won the Sunshine Double without dropping a set, becoming the first man ever to do so.

Will the Masters 1000 events return to one week?

The Canadian Open has suffered another blow as world No. 1 Jannik Sinner and 24-time Grand Slam champion Novak Djokovic confirmed they will not compete in Montreal. Canadian Open director Valerie Tetreault expressed disappointment, noting that both Djokovic and Sinner also withdrew from last year’s edition. She emphasized that while player health is a priority, repeated last-minute withdrawals raise broader concerns for the sport.

Currently, ATP Masters, 1000 tournaments are mandatory, but withdrawals only reduce a player’s bonus pool payout at season’s end. For wealthy stars, financial penalties are not a strong deterrent. Proposals to punish players with ranking point deductions are seen as unlikely, as they could cause internal conflict.

The Canadian Open is increasingly viewed as the weakest Masters 1000 event, with frequent high-profile absences diminishing its prestige. Fans in Canada face disappointment not only in the men’s event but also in the WTA 1000 tournament, which has seen similar withdrawals.

Carlos Alcaraz’s participation in the Cincinnati Open is still not confirmed

Speaking of withdrawals, Carlos Alcaraz was the first high-profile tennis player to confirm his absence from the Canadian Open. The Spaniard has been out of action since April due to a wrist injury.

However, there were reports that he was set to return to the Cincinnati Open. The Spaniard won his first title in Cincinnati last year, defeating Jannik Sinner in a match that lasted only 5 games as the Italian retired due to a stomach virus.

The Cincinnati Open holds huge importance for Alcaraz as it would make the viewers analyze his condition before the US Open, where he is also the defending champion. The Spaniard beat Sinner in 4 sets to take home his second crown at Flushing Meadows.

Now, the reports are unconfirmed because Alcaraz is reported to be still in gear 1 ahead of his return to professional tennis. Alcaraz has already withdrawn from Roland Garros and Wimbledon this year.

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