In the inaugural year of the Toronto upgrade, the biggest star withdrew, leading to it being mockingly dubbed the "Cursed Cup," with Alcaraz's withdrawal being the most surprising.

The Toronto Masters hasn't even started yet, and it's already been labeled by fans and netizens as "the unluckiest Masters of the year." The title "Cursed Cup" only adds to the awkward situation of this tournament!

This year marks the first year of the Toronto Masters' upgrade to a Super Masters, extending the duration to 12 days and expanding the draw to 96 players.

Regarding this significant upgrade, it's likely that the event organizers were extremely excited at first, finally standing on the same starting line as other Super Masters events, without being left behind. They also wanted to excel in all areas during this inaugural upgrade year, welcoming talents from all directions and preparing for a grand event, allowing all players to feel at home in the upgraded tournament, hoping they would want to return next year after coming this year.

However, the Toronto Masters organizers were taken aback when the biggest star unexpectedly decided to withdraw. To make matters worse, not only did British number one Draper withdraw, but also three of the most marketable and influential stars—Alcaraz, Sinner, and Djokovic—all chose not to participate, significantly affecting the attention on this newly upgraded Super Masters event.

Some say that fortunately, world number three Zverev and world number four Fritz are there to help maintain the event's appeal; if they too had followed the trend of withdrawals, the Toronto Masters organizers would have surely faced multiple moments of despair.

As the first ATP Masters event following Wimbledon, the Toronto Masters finds itself in a somewhat awkward position. It seems to have a certain allure, yet due to the short gap from Wimbledon, it easily triggers withdrawals from top stars, especially with the upcoming Cincinnati Masters and the higher-level US Open, making Toronto, despite its Masters title, sometimes feel like a secondary option.

While the outside world discusses the wave of withdrawals at this year's Toronto Masters, some openly stated that they had anticipated Sinner, Djokovic, and Draper might withdraw, but they never expected Alcaraz would also join them, forming an unlikely group.

The withdrawal of British number one Draper due to an arm injury was the least surprising; combined with his withdrawal from the Cincinnati Masters, it clearly indicates that his current withdrawal is a reluctant decision. Otherwise, given Draper's recent rise, if he weren't hampered by injury, the Toronto Masters would have been an opportunity for him, as with top competitors withdrawing, participating in this Masters could solidify his position in the world top ten and offer a good chance at the title—why not seize the chance!

After his injury at Wimbledon, expectations for Djokovic's participation in the Toronto Masters were already low.

In the withdrawal statement, Djokovic's team made it very clear: "We need more time to recover from the toll of Wimbledon." Moreover, with the US Open looming, whether for physical recovery or focusing on major tournaments, given Djokovic's current physical condition and his age of 38, he couldn't afford to expend too much energy at the Toronto Masters. He has plenty of opportunities to warm up for the US Open later, so from the perspective of the Serbian king, Toronto can naturally be overlooked.

Sinner's situation is somewhat similar to Djokovic's! Although he ultimately won at Wimbledon, achieving this honor while injured took a significant toll on the world number one.

Furthermore, the ongoing rivalry with Alcaraz in the Grand Slams has reached a close-quarters battle, and with the need to defend his US Open title, it's understandable for the Italian to withdraw. Given that he has already won the Toronto Masters, prioritizing the US Open in this special circumstance is certainly reasonable.

Only Alcaraz's sudden withdrawal is the most surprising! Why?

After Sinner, Djokovic, and Draper withdrew in succession, foreign media emphasized one point in their reports about this year's Toronto Masters: "This year's lineup will be led by Alcaraz and Zverev." Almost everyone's discussions and attention were focused on the Spaniard, believing that since Alcaraz withdrew last year, there was no reason for him to do so again this year.

The foreign media was so confident that the Spaniard would participate in this Masters event for a simple reason: he was physically fit with no injuries, and after suffering a heavy defeat to Sinner in the Wimbledon final, if he could win this tournament, it would undoubtedly help him overcome the shadow of that loss.

Despite everyone believing that Alcaraz had no reason to withdraw, in the end, the Spaniard still did, which makes one wonder how the outside world would react.

In fact, Alcaraz's withdrawal is not entirely surprising; Toronto has never been a lucky place for him, with a record of two wins and two losses so far. Perhaps the Spaniard lacks confidence in achieving good results, so he might as well withdraw and focus more on the US Open, where he might achieve greater success.

Last year, Alcaraz was eliminated in the second round of the US Open. Given his loss in the Wimbledon final this year, the Spaniard surely wants to play his best tennis in Flushing Meadows, making his withdrawal to conserve energy for the US Open quite reasonable.

Alcaraz's unexpected withdrawal not only left the Toronto Masters organizers disappointed but also rendered the foreign media's efforts futile. After Sinner and Djokovic withdrew, they had regarded the Spaniard as a key topic of interest, but now that he is not coming, they have to find other topics to boost their coverage!(Source: Tennis Home, Author: Moon River's Starry Sky)