"It won't be a walk in the park for anyone," says Shelton on the absence of favorites in Toronto
Due to its place in the calendar (close to Wimbledon), the Toronto Masters 1000 faces its share of absences every year, and this edition will be no exception. Add to that the change in format (12 days), and many players have decided not to travel to Canada, including Alcaraz, Sinner, and Djokovic.
A situation that many observers believe favors the rest of the tour's players. However, according to Shelton, this Canadian tournament won’t be any easier:
"The opportunity is there, and maybe a lot of players feel it. In my case, I feel excitement every time I play a big tournament, no matter who’s there, whether the top players are missing or not. I’m sure the fans feel the same way. This year, we’ve had some big losses, but we still have great players, all hungry and in great form.
Everyone will be looking to do damage, and I’m one of those guys. We’ll see—it’s tough, there are a lot of big names on the tour. I think the road will continue to be just as difficult. It won’t be a walk in the park for anyone. I’m approaching it as a new opportunity to add matches and build confidence for the US Open," he said in an interview relayed by *Punto de Break*.
National Bank Open 
