Another setback for Carlos Alcaraz! Spaniard could lose millions in prize money for skipping Canadian Open

Carlos Alcaraz suffered a heartbreaking defeat in the gold medal match at the Paris Olympics 2024 against Novak Djokovic. He was as sensational as usual throughout the tournament but had to make way for the Serbian who won his maiden Olympic title. Despite the 7-6(3), 7-6(2) defeat, Alcaraz left the French capital with his head held high and a hint that a gold medal was within his reach. 

Meanwhile, the Spaniard was dealt another blow. He is likely to lose millions in prize money due to his decision to withdraw from the Canadian Open. The four-time Grand Slam champion before advancing to the final of the Paris Olympics announced that he would be skipping the tournament in Montreal due to his busy schedule.

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“It has been a very long season for me and due to the accumulation of matches and fatigue, I will not be able to play in Montreal this year,” said Alcaraz in a statement on August 1.

“I was really looking forward to coming back to Canada and enjoying the love of the fans. Hope to see everyone in Montreal in the years to come!,” he added.

Alcaraz misses two mandatory Maters 1000 events

His decision was logical considering the gold medal match against Djokovic was just two days before the start of the Canadian Open. A swift change of surface from clay to hard courts after playing one of the biggest sporting events would be a huge task for the 21-year-old.

However, his withdrawal means he will forfeit 50% of his ATP bonus pool share for the 2024 season. The bonus pool is shared among ATP players based on their performance in Masters 1000 events and the ATP Finals. If players miss two mandatory Masters 1000 events in a season, they will lose half of their share.

Notably, Alcaraz had missed the Italian Open due to an injury and the Montreal event will be the second tournament without his presence. The youngster topped the bonus pool standings last season by earning $4.2 million.