Alexander Zverev has defended Novak Djokovic, Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz after all three withdrew from the upcoming Montreal Masters, arguing that fines are unlikely to influence players of their stature.
Alcaraz pulled out of the tournament because of injury, while Djokovic and Sinner, despite being fit, opted not to compete. Their withdrawals have frustrated organisers of the Canadian event, which begins on August 31, with reports suggesting the players could face financial penalties for their late decisions.
Zverev, however, dismissed the idea that fines would have any meaningful impact.
“It’s not rocket science,” the German said. “If you play the nine mandatory ATP events during the year, you receive a good bonus.”
The world No. 2 said established stars such as Djokovic now have the freedom to choose their schedules, focusing primarily on Grand Slam tournaments.
“Do you really think Djokovic would play because of a bigger bonus? Or that he’s worried about being fined?” Zverev said. “I think he has around $400 million in the bank. A little more or a little less won’t make any difference to him. The same applies to Sinner.”
Zverev also believes rankings are no longer a major consideration for the 24-time Grand Slam champion.
“I don’t think Djokovic is thinking about rankings anymore,” he said. “He’ll play the tournaments he wants to play. That’s perfectly normal.”
