Ben Shelton captured the Toronto Masters 1000 title in a tournament that shattered attendance records despite the absence of tennis superstars Carlos Alcaraz, Jannik Sinner, and Novak Djokovic. The recent Canadian event drew an impressive 217,531 spectators, easily surpassing the previous record of 175,003 fans set in 2023.
"It has been an incredible event from beginning to end," tournament director Karl Hale stated, highlighting the success of the expanded 12-day format and various fan activities as key factors in the strong attendance figures.
Interestingly, the tournament thrived even without three of the sport's biggest names, who all opted to skip Toronto and focus on Cincinnati as preparation for the upcoming US Open. Djokovic has since withdrawn from the Ohio event as well.
The expanded format, stretching from the traditional 8 days to 12 (July 26-August 7), likely contributed to the overall attendance boost. When breaking down the daily average, attendance actually decreased slightly from 19,442 spectators per day in 2023 to 18,127 this year – still a remarkably small drop considering the absence of top draws.
While Canadian men disappointed in Toronto, with home favorites Denis Shapovalov and Felix Auger-Aliassime bowing out in the second round, 18-year-old Victoria Mboko provided a source of national pride by claiming the women's title in Montreal. The Toronto-raised Mboko's unexpected triumph likely helped maintain fan interest across both events.
Despite admitting earlier disappointment about the absences of Alcaraz, Sinner, and Djokovic, Hale emphasized the tournament's competitive strength: "What's really exciting is that we had 15 of 16 seeds remaining in the draw. It's the only tournament this year, Grand Slam or not, that has that."
"Players and staff loved the Canadian hospitality, which has improved over the years. Our science center is one of the best on tour for keeping players healthy so they can perform at their best level. So the feedback has been very, very good," Hale explained.
The tournament's success raises an interesting question: can secondary events thrive even without the sport's biggest stars if they focus on providing excellent facilities and an engaging fan experience?
