It’s in My Best Interest’ — Aryna Sabalenka Cancels Trip to Canada Ahead of Mammoth American Task

Aryna Sabalenka was preparing to kick off her hard-court season at the 2025 Canadian Open. Instead, she’s hitting the pause button.

The World No. 1 announced her withdrawal from the tournament, citing fatigue as she looks to defend her titles at the Cincinnati Open and US Open later this summer.

Why Did Aryna Sabalenka Pull Out of the Canadian Open?
Following her grass court season at the 2025 Wimbledon Championships, Sabalenka was scheduled to compete at the Canadian Open. The tournament will be held from July 27 to August 7, 2025, at the IGA Stadium in Montreal.

However, Sabalenka joined Paula Badosa in withdrawing from the 2025 Canadian Open. While Badosa is sidelined due to a recurring lower back injury that has been troubling her since the Wimbledon Championships, Sabalenka cited fatigue as her reason for stepping away.

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The World No. 1 explained her decision to skip the tournament, emphasizing her desire to rest and prepare properly for the upcoming hard-court swing and ensure she’s in the best possible condition to defend her titles at the Cincinnati Open and the US Open.

“I’m looking forward to kicking off the North American hard-court swing, but to give myself the best chance for success this season, I’ve decided it’s in my best interest to skip Montreal.

I’ll miss my amazing Canadian fans, but I’m already looking forward to seeing you all next year. Thanks for your understanding and support. It means the world to me!” Sabalenka said.

With both withdrawals, Caty McNally and Moyuka Uchijima will now enter the tournament’s main draw.
How Did Sabalenka Dominate at Cincinnati and the US Open in 2024?
In 2024, Sabalenka made her mark on the North American hard courts, claiming victories over Jessica Pegula in the finals of the Cincinnati Open and the US Open to secure the titles.

At the 2024 Cincinnati Open, Sabalenka entered as the third seed and began her campaign in the second round after receiving a first-round bye. She defeated Elisabetta Cocciaretto 6-3, 6-4, followed by a victory over Elina Svitolina 7-5, 6-2.

The quarterfinals saw Sabalenka face off against 10th seed Liudmila Samsonova, where the Belarusian won 6-3, 6-2 before overcoming top seed Iga Świątek in the semifinals. In the championship match, the World No. 1 claimed a 6-3, 7-5 win against sixth-seeded Pegula to secure her sixth WTA 1000 title and the 15th title of her career on the WTA Tour.

At the 2024 US Open, Sabalenka was seeded second. She began her run by triumphing over qualifier Priscilla Hon, Lucia Bronzetti, 29th seed Ekaterina Alexandrova, and 33rd seed Elise Mertens in the first four rounds.

The Belarusian then registered wins over seventh seed Zheng Qinwen and 13th seed Emma Navarro to set up a championship decider with Pegula once again, emerging victorious in straight sets to clinch her first US Open singles title and her third Grand Slam singles overall.