National Bank Last ‘Old School’ Event Before New Look: More Players, Dates, Money

By Barry Janoff

Aug. 4, 2024: The oldest tennis tournament in Canada and the second oldest in the sport, dating back to the 19th Century, is preparing for its 21st Century reincarnation.

The National Bank Open presented by Rogers has long attracted the top players in tennis to its two-city event.

But it faced problems: A format that didn’t match the level of Grand Slam and Masters 1000 tournaments, and a distinct difference in prize money between the men’s and women’s competitions.

That changes after the 2024 tournament with regard to number of participants and total prize money.

This year, the prize money for the National Bank Open ATP Tour event is $6,795,955 (a 3% increase vs. 2023) with the Total Financial Commitment $7,867,600.

This year, the prize money for the National Bank Open WTA event is approximately $2.9 million.

In 2023, total prize money for the ATP Tour event was $6.6 million and for the WTA Tour event $2.8 million.

Though impressive, there currently remains a gap of about $4 million overall and a difference of some $500,000 between the ATP Tour men’s and Hologic WTA Tour women’s singles champion.

The National Bank Open presented by Rogers Montreal ATP 1000 Aug. 4-12 (IGA Stadium) offers $1,049,460 for the men’s singles champion and $573,090 for the runner-up.

The National Bank Open presented by Rogers Toronto WTA 1000 Aug. 5-12 (Sobeys Stadium) offers $523,485 for the women’s singles champion and $308,320 for the runner-up. Compared to last year, these amounts equate to an 11% increase for each player.

Tennis Canada, the nation's overseeing body, said the National Bank Open's WTA prize money is projected to rise from approximately 32% of the ATP prize money to nearly 60% by 2025 when both tournaments will play under a new 12-day main draw format featuring 96-player main draws (up from the current 56) each for men and women.

The National Bank Open will be able to offer equal prize money to both women and men players starting in 2027 “thanks to the support of its long-time partner National Bank as well as additional resources from WTA Ventures," said Tennis Canada.

With expansion to 12 days, the National Bank Open will join six other extended combined events on the WTA and ATP Tours: BNP Paribas Open Indian Wells, Miami Open, Mutua Madrid Open, Internazionali BNL d’Italia and the Cincinnati Open (also extending its schedule in 2025).

Known among other titles as the Canadian Championships, Canadian Open, Rothmans Open and Rogers Cup before taking its current name in 2021, the  men's event was first played in July 1881 (the first women's event was in 1892). Only Wimbledon (1877) is older; it predates the U.S. Open (August 1881) by one month.

This year will be the 132rd edition of the men's tournament and the 121st edition of the women's tournament. In 2020, the men's and women's tournaments were postponed to 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. There were also no tournaments during World War I (1915-18) and World War II (1941-45). And neither event was played in 1905.

“The National Bank Open presented by Rogers has truly established itself as one of the elite tennis events in the world,” Gavin Ziv, CEO for Tennis Canada, said via the organization. “The wider impact this expansion will have on tennis in Canada cannot be underestimated as it brings with it the opportunity to inspire even more Canadians to participate in the sport.

“We would like to thank our title partner, National Bank, for their continued investment in our events, which has allowed us to grow. This step, and the increased revenue it will generate, will also be significant on our path to awarding equal prize money for women and men’s players by 2027.”

The WTA 1000 event and the concurrent ATP 1000 event alternate between Toronto and Montreal each year.

Novak Djokovic and Carlos Alcaraz have both withdrawn from the Montreal event due to their playing for the gold medal in Paris on Aug. 4, won by Djokovic.

Women's world No. 1 ranked Iga Swiatek has also withdrawn from the National Bank Open, due to fatigue, according to Tennis Canada.

The field at both events will be robust nonetheless.

Those scheduled to play at the ATP Tour event include No. 1-ranked and defending men’ s singles champ Jannik Sinner (who earned his first ATP Masters 1000 title last year defeating Alex de Minaur) and top-ranked players Alexander Zverev, Daniil Medvedev, Andrey Rublev, Casper Rudd, Tommy Paul and Stefanos Tsitsipas (de Minaur has withdrawn from the 2024 tournament).

"The increased revenue . . . will be significant on our path to awarding equal prize money for women and men’s players by 2027.”

Twelve of the world's Top 20 players will compete at the WTA 1000 event.

Jessica Pegula won last year's National Bank Open title at the Montreal site, defeating Liudmila Samsonova.

Nine Grand Slam champions are in the main draw.

Seeded players include Coca Gauff, Aryna Sabalenka, and Jelena Ostapenko; wild cards Naomi Osaka and Bianca Andreescu; and Victoria Azarenka, Sloane Stephens and Sofia Kenin. Of those nine, only Andreescu won this title, in 2019, becoming the first Canadian woman to raise her home-soil trophy since Faye Urban in 1969.

“The fan and player experience are always top of our list of priorities,” Karl Hale, tournament director, National Bank Open-Toronto, said via the group. “This new format will see the National Bank Open go to a new level in both categories, improving the action on-court and offering fans even more opportunities to engage with our tournaments and athletes.

“We would like to thank the WTA and ATP Tours, and the players, for all the positive work and discussions in moving to this expanded schedule. We’re looking forward to introducing everyone to a redefined National Bank Open next year.”

In addition to title partner National Bank and presenting partner Rogers, sponsors in both cities include Audi, Avis, Beneva, Cashmere, Dirty Devil Vodka, Evian, Gatorade, Har-Tru, Haagen-Dazs, Jacob’s Creek, Kind, La Roche Posay, Lindt, Motorola Razr, Nike, Ozempic, Psycho Bunny and Wilson.

See full MEN’S DRAW here.

See full WOMEN’S DRAW here.

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