The 2026 National Bank Open draw is out, and it’s perhaps the most neglected of all Masters 1000s on the calendar.
The ATP gave the draw just a few hundred words (compared to 1000+ for other tournaments) and top players regularly give the event a miss.
This year is no different as Jannik Sinner, Carlos Alcaraz and Novak Djokovic are all absent, so the tournament feels very different from the other ATP Masters 1000 events we’ve seen this year.
This leaves Alexander Zverev as the top seed and presents one of the biggest opportunities of the year for the chasing pack.
While the lack of star power is always disappointing, it does create a more unpredictable Masters draw, so hopefully there are some storylines over the next fortnight.
Defending champion Ben Shelton returns looking to prove last year’s breakthrough title was no fluke, home favourite Félix Auger-Aliassime carries Canadian hopes, and players like João Fonseca, Rafael Jódar and Alexander Blockx all arrive with some decent wins over the first half of the year.
Can Zverev capitalise on Sinner’s absence and close the gap at the top of the rankings? Will Jack Draper play, or will it be another last-minute withdrawal? Here’s how the draw shapes up.
Tournament Info
- Event Name: Omnium Banque National présenté par Rogers / National Bank Open Presented by Rogers
- Founded: 1881
- Location: Montreal, Canada
- Venue: IGA Stadium, 285 Rue Gary-Carter Bureau 202, Montréal, QC H2R 2W1, Canada
- Surface: Outdoor Hard Court
- Ball: Wilson US Open
- Current Men’s Champion: Ben Shelton
- Current Men’s Doubles Champions: Julian Cash / Lloyd Glasspool
- Current Women’s Champion: Victoria Mboko
- Current Women’s Doubles Champions: Coco Gauff / McCartney Kessler
- Category: ATP Masters 1000
- Draw Size: 96 Singles / 32 Qualifying / 32 Doubles
- Dates: 2-13 August 2026
- Prize Money: $9,415,724 – Full National Bank Open Prize Money breakdown.
Canadian Open 2026 Seeds
Seeds
- Alexander Zverev
- Félix Auger-Aliassime
- Alex de Minaur
- Daniil Medvedev
- Ben Shelton
- Flavio Cobolli
- Taylor Fritz
- Jiří Lehečka
- Casper Ruud
- Andrey Rublev
- Lorenzo Musetti
- Learner Tien
- Jakub Menšík
- Valentin Vacherot
- Frances Tiafoe
- Francisco Cerúndolo
- Tommy Paul
- Arthur Fils
- Luciano Darderi
- Rafael Jódar
- Karen Khachanov
- João Fonseca
- Arthur Rinderknech
- Ugo Humbert
- Alejandro Tabilo
- Tomás Martín Etcheverry
- Alexander Blockx
- Brandon Nakashima
- Ignacio Buse
- Matteo Arnaldi
- Zizou Bergs
- Raphaël Collignon
Wild Cards
- Gabriel Diallo
- Jack Draper
- Liam Draxl
- Alexis Galarneau
- Gaël Monfils
Protected Ranking
- Hubert Hurkacz
- Shang Juncheng
Withdrawals
- Carlos Alcaraz → replaced by Jan-Lennard Struff
- Alexander Bublik → replaced by Rinky Hijikata
- Alejandro Davidovich Fokina → replaced by Jenson Brooksby
- Novak Djokovic → replaced by Márton Fucsovics
- Sebastian Korda → replaced by Luca Van Assche
- Tomáš Macháč → replaced by James Duckworth
- Jannik Sinner → replaced by Valentin Royer
Lucky Losers
- Soon
Qualifiers
- Soon
2026 Montreal Draw
Top Half
- Alexander Zverev (1) vs Bye
- Lorenzo Sonego vs Tallon Griekspoor
- Qualifier vs Fabian Marozsan
- Bye vs Matteo Arnaldi (30)
- Ugo Humbert (24) vs Bye
- Daniel Merida vs Liam Draxl (WC)
- Alex Michelsen vs Jan-Lennard Struff
- Bye vs Francisco Cerundolo (16)
- Learner Tien (12) vs Bye
- Kamil Majchrzak vs Gaël Monfils (WC)
- Pablo Carreno Busta vs Valentin Royer
- Bye vs Tommy Paul (17)
- Raphael Collignon (32) vs Bye
- Qualifier vs Roman Burruchaga
- Qualifier vs Thiago Tirante
- Bye vs Taylor Fritz (7)
- Daniil Medvedev (4) vs Bye
- Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard vs Botic van de Zandschulp
- Hubert Hurkacz (PR) vs Qualifier
- Bye vs Alejandro Tabilo (25)
- Karen Khachanov (21) vs Bye
- Terence Atmane vs Jack Draper (WC)
- Qualifier vs Adrian Mannarino
- Bye vs Jakub Mensik (13)
- Casper Ruud (9) vs Bye
- Juan Manuel Cerundolo vs Hamad Medjedovic
- Qualifier vs Qualifier
- Bye vs João Fonseca (22)
- Zizou Bergs (31) vs Bye
- Sebastian Baez vs Mattia Bellucci
- Qualifier vs Jenson Brooksby
- Bye vs Ben Shelton (5)
Bottom Half
- Jiri Lehecka (8) vs Bye
- Alexis Galarneau (WC) vs Vít Kopriva
- Jaume Munar vs Rinky Hijikata
- Bye vs Alexander Blockx (27)
- Rafael Jodar (20) vs Bye
- Márton Fucsovics vs Corentin Moutet
- Qualifier vs Martin Landaluce
- Bye vs Lorenzo Musetti (11)
- Valentin Vacherot (14) vs Bye
- Matteo Berrettini vs Mariano Navone
- Zachary Svajda vs Denis Shapovalov
- Bye vs Arthur Fils (18)
- Ignacio Buse (29) vs Bye
- Camilo Ugo Carabelli vs Cameron Norrie
- James Duckworth vs Qualifier
- Bye vs Alex de Minaur (3)
- Flavio Cobolli (6) vs Bye
- Qualifier vs Yannick Hanfmann
- Aleksandar Kovacevic vs Nuno Borges
- Bye vs Tomas Martin Etcheverry (26)
- Luciano Darderi (19) vs Bye
- Gabriel Diallo (WC) vs Qualifier
- Adria Vallejo vs Juncheng Shang (PR)
- Bye vs Andrey Rublev (10)
- Frances Tiafoe (15) vs Bye
- Qualifier vs Marin Cilic
- Qualifier vs Miomir Kecmanovic
- Bye vs Arthur Rinderknech (23)
- Brandon Nakashima (28) vs Bye
- Qualifier vs Daniel Altmaier
- Luca Van Assche vs Qualifier
- Bye vs Felix Auger-Aliassime (2)
Thoughts on the Draw
First Quarter: Led by Alexander Zverev (1)
Seeded Players: Alexander Zverev (1), Taylor Fritz (7), Learner Tien (12), Francisco Cerúndolo (16), Tommy Paul (17), Ugo Humbert (24), Matteo Arnaldi (30), Raphael Collignon (32)
Notable Early Matches
- Lorenzo Sonego vs Tallon Griekspoor
- Alex Michelsen vs Jan-Lennard Struff
- Gaël Monfils vs Kamil Majchrzak
- Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard vs Botic van de Zandschulp
Analysis
On paper, Zverev has landed one of the friendlier sections of the draw.
The German opens against either Lorenzo Sonego or Tallon Griekspoor, two players he has enjoyed considerable success against throughout his career (15-2 H2H combined).
The real test is likely to come later as Taylor Fritz projects as the quarter-final opponent, and while the American had dominated their recent rivalry for a spell, Zverev emphatically ended that run with a straight-sets victory at Wimbledon and Taylor’s knee issue seems to keep cropping up.
Gaël Monfils, competing in the final season of his career, remains capable of producing inspired tennis for short stretches and he has played well in Montreal with two semi-finals.
Alex Michelsen against Jan-Lennard Struff also has upset potential. Michelsen continues to improve on hard courts and has shown he belongs at this level, while Struff’s aggressive first-strike tennis always makes him dangerous on faster surfaces.
Tommy Paul also deserves respect despite an inconsistent season. His athleticism makes him awkward for almost everyone outside the very elite, but in the big-time matches he typically falls short, and his loss to Majchrzak in Washington wasn’t exactly an ideal start to the US Open series.
Overall, this quarter feels relatively straightforward as Zverev has avoided many of the draw’s biggest floaters and should expect to reach the last eight.
Second Quarter: Led by Daniil Medvedev (4)
Seeded Players: Daniil Medvedev (4), Ben Shelton (5), Casper Ruud (9), Jakub Menšík (13), Karen Khachanov (21), João Fonseca (22), Alejandro Tabilo (25), Zizou Bergs (31)
Notable Early Matches
- Jack Draper vs Terence Atmane
- Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard vs Botic van de Zandschulp
- Juan Manuel Cerúndolo vs Hamad Medjedovic
- Sebastian Báez vs Mattia Bellucci
Analysis
Almost every section in this quarter contains a player capable of making a serious run.
Medvedev headlines it, but there are very few easy matches awaiting him. His opening encounter is likely to come against Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard, whose serve alone can make any hard-court match uncomfortable.
Should the Russian progress, Hubert Hurkacz potentially awaits. Although injuries have plagued him of late, Hurkacz remains one of the Tour’s biggest servers and has troubled Medvedev before.
Further down sits Jakub Menšík. The Czech flopped in Washington but has firepower from both wings, and if he stays present mentally, then he’s capable of going all the way.
Jack Draper’s return also deserves attention. After a lengthy spell on the sidelines, the Brit could hardly have asked for a more awkward opener than Terence Atmane. The French left-hander plays explosive tennis, and if you’re not match sharp it’s going to be hard work. And will he even play? Being on the draw sheet is no guarantee, as he withdrew from Washington last week despite travelling there.
Defending champion Ben Shelton is also in this section and probably has the cleanest path through the bottom section.
The American’s serve remains one of the biggest weapons on Tour and quicker North American hard courts continue to suit his game perfectly. If he rediscovers the level that earned him the title twelve months ago, another quarter-final looks well within reach, assuming he shrugs off the loss to Tabilo in Washington and avoids his customary three-set matches early doors.
João Fonseca and Casper Ruud could also meet in an entertaining fourth-round contest. Fonseca’s explosive shot-making has already delivered several landmark victories this season, while Ruud, often billed as simply a clay-court specialist, does have a US Open final on his resume.
Third Quarter: Led by Alex de Minaur (3)
Seeded Players: Alex de Minaur (3), Jiří Lehečka (8), Lorenzo Musetti (11), Valentin Vacherot (14), Arthur Fils (18), Rafael Jódar (20), Alexander Blockx (27), Ignacio Buse (29)
Notable Early Matches
- Matteo Berrettini vs Mariano Navone
- Denis Shapovalov vs Zachary Svajda
- Cameron Norrie vs Camilo Ugo Carabelli
- Márton Fucsovics vs Corentin Moutet
Analysis
While the second quarter is stacked with established names, this section feels like the one most likely to produce a surprise semi-finalist.
Lehečka has been decent on hard courts over the last twelve months. But you never really feel totally confident in his game.
The Czech could find himself facing Alexander Blockx in the third round. The Belgian has developed into one of the Tour’s most intriguing young players, possessing clean ball striking off both wings. He arrives after making the final in Estoril, so he has no hard-court prep prior to Montreal.
Then there’s Rafael Jódar. He is currently in the Washington semi-finals, and his all-court development has been rapid enough that another deep Masters run would hardly qualify as a shock.
The draw also gives us the possibility of Denis Shapovalov enjoying a run on home soil. Shapovalov made the semi-finals in 2017, taking out Del Potro and Nadal, but aside from that he’s got a paltry 8:8 win-loss ratio at this event. A second-round meeting with Arthur Fils would certainly produce some fun shot-making, but I don’t see Denis doing much damage.
Alex de Minaur is the top seed in this section and probably the man to beat. Can he win it? Maybe, but it’s not unthinkable he booked his honeymoon during finals weekend (for those unaware, he got married on the Sunday of the Wimbledon final 😁)
While he’s often called one of the worst top 10 players in history on social media, nobody works harder for every point, and with a weakened draw he should fancy his chances of picking up a 1000 title.
Fourth Quarter: Led by Félix Auger-Aliassime (2)
Seeded Players: Félix Auger-Aliassime (2), Flavio Cobolli (6), Andrey Rublev (10), Frances Tiafoe (15), Luciano Darderi (19), Arthur Rinderknech (23), Brandon Nakashima (28), Tomás Martín Etcheverry (26)
Notable Early Matches
- Gabriel Diallo vs Qualifier
- Shang Juncheng vs Adria Vallejo
- Marin Čilić vs Qualifier
- Nuno Borges vs Aleksandar Kovacevic
Analysis
All eyes in Montreal will be fixed on Félix Auger-Aliassime. The withdrawals of Sinner, Alcaraz and Djokovic have transformed the tournament landscape, and Auger-Aliassime finds himself with an opportunity to capture the biggest title of his career in front of a home crowd.
I have my doubts as his bland tennis never screams M1000 winner and his draw isn’t straightforward. Brandon Nakashima is a potential third-round opponent; he’s currently in the Washington semi-finals after some decent wins, so he could be tricky, although it’s not easy to back up a good week with another straight after.
Further up sits Frances Tiafoe. The American has patches of consistency, but you’ve still got to put him in the streaky performer bracket. At his best, he can overwhelm almost anyone with first-strike tennis and athleticism. At his worst, unforced errors arrive in clusters. Which version turns up often determines how dangerous this section becomes.
Flavio Cobolli also lands in this section after decent results in Paris and London. Can he deliver on hard courts?
Felix isn’t the only Canadian here either, and one player who could prove particularly dangerous is Gabriel Diallo. The Canadian wildcard possesses the sort of serve and forehand combination that can translate well onto hard courts and while his season has been patchy (9:17) if he can ride the home support through the opening rounds, a meeting with Rublev could be interesting.
Best First-Round Matches to Watch
Jack Draper vs Terence Atmane – Draper couldn’t have drawn a much trickier return match. Atmane’s heavy left-handed forehand and aggressive court positioning make him a dangerous opener for someone lacking recent match practice.
Matteo Berrettini vs Mariano Navone – Berrettini continues rebuilding after another injury setback. Navone will relish extending rallies, making this an intriguing contrast in styles.
Lorenzo Sonego vs Tallon Griekspoor – A quality opening-round contest between two established Top 50 players, with the winner earning a crack at Alexander Zverev.
Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard vs Botic van de Zandschulp – One of the biggest serves on Tour meets one of its most intelligent tacticians.
Alex Michelsen vs Jan-Lennard Struff – Youth versus experience. Michelsen continues climbing the rankings, while Struff remains capable of overpowering opponents when his first serve is firing.
Denis Shapovalov vs Zachary Svajda – Shapovalov always attracts attention in Canada, and a strong opening performance could reignite hopes of another deep run.
