Spain’s Rafael Nadal is just one of the many tennis stars who are confirmed for the Aug. 2-10 Toronto event. The 56-player draw will be completed at a later date.Ben Curtis/The Associated Press
Wimbledon champion Novak Djokovic of Serbia, finalist Roger Federer of Switzerland and Canadian star Milos Raonic headline this year's official player entry list for next month's Rogers Cup.
The top 44 players on the ATP World Tour rankings list have committed to playing at the Aug. 2-10 event at Rexall Centre, Tennis Canada said Monday in a release.
"With one of the greatest player fields on the ATP World Tour combined with our new art of tennis theme and the exciting enhancements we've made throughout the grounds, we know this is going to be one of our best tournaments ever," said tournament director Karl Hale. "All of the top players are looking forward to returning to Toronto this year, and they will undoubtedly provide world-class action every day."
Raonic, from Thornhill, Ont., rose to No. 6 in the latest rankings after reaching the semi-finals at the All England Club last week. Raonic lost in straight sets to Federer, who went on to drop a five-set decision to Djokovic in the final.
"I'm really looking forward to coming back to Toronto and playing Rogers Cup in my hometown," Raonic said. "There are only a few opportunities in a year that I get to play at home in front of Canadian fans and I'm eager to do well again this year."
"I always feel comfortable here as this is where I grew up and this is one of the best places in the world to play."
Defending champion Rafael Nadal of Spain, who beat Raonic in last year's final at Montreal, is also in the field. In addition, Vancouver's Vasek Pospisil has earned direct entry into the tournament a year after making it into the semi-finals as a wild card.
The 56-player draw will be completed at a later date with the addition of qualifiers, wild cards, and special exemptions. The Rogers Cup women's tournament will be held Aug. 1-10 at Montreal's Uniprix Stadium.