Just two days ago, Jack Draper withdrew from the Mubadala DC Open despite receiving a wildcard entry. The decision extended a frustrating spell on the sidelines, with the Briton not having played since the Eastbourne Open back in June. Now, amid an injury-hit season, his comeback has received a timely boost with another wildcard right before the US Open.

The Briton is preparing for another comeback as he gets a wildcard to compete at the National Bank Open starting on August 2. The former British No. 1 will make his third appearance at the tournament.

Draper is hoping to rediscover his rhythm after an injury-ridden 2026 season where he played only 14 matches in the last 12 months. His best result in Montreal came four years ago, when he reached the quarterfinals.

The former world No. 4 is still working his way back from a left arm injury. The wildcard gives him another valuable chance to regain match fitness and confidence before the last Grand Slam of the year.

The 24-year-old has endured a frustrating 2026 season where injuries forced him to miss all 3 Grand Slam tournaments. Even before the Canadian Open, he also withdrew late from this week’s DC Open in Washington.

The Brit, currently coached by former world No. 1 Andy Murray, has dropped to world No. 147 in the ATP Rankings. That means the former Indian Wells Open winner is likely to play qualifying if he wants to compete at the US Open after missing direct entry into the main draw.

And while Draper’s wildcard has attracted plenty of attention at the Canadian Masters, the tournament has also opened the door for several other players.

Gael Monfils and Kei Nishikori received wildcards for the National Bank Open

Along with the British ace, the Canadian Masters event has also awarded main-draw wild cards to fellow Canadians Alexis Galarneau and Liam Draxl. The pair will join the former world No. 4 in the tournament, making their 7th and 5th appearances at the event, respectively.

Similarly, French veteran Gael Monfils, who is playing his last season on the ATP Tour, had already received a main-draw wildcard.

24-year-old Montreal native Gabriel Diallo was also handed a main-draw wildcard as the hometown hero will now have another chance to compete in front of his familiar crowd.

The tournament also awarded 36-year-old Kei Nishikori a wildcard into the qualifying competition. The former world No. 4 reached the final of the Canadian Masters ten years ago. Surprisingly, he also made the quarterfinals during his most recent appearance in Montreal in 2024.

However, the Masters event has also been hit by several major withdrawals. Jannik Sinner and Novak Djokovic pulled out of the Canadian Open earlier this week, leading a growing list of top players missing the event. 

Karolina Muchova, this year’s SW19 finalist, also underwent surgery after the grass-court Slam and will not compete in Canada. Meanwhile, Canada’s own Victoria Mboko remains sidelined after suffering a medial collateral ligament injury at Queen’s Club.

With several WTA and ATP withdrawals and a fresh group of wildcard entries, the Masters events before the US Open are beginning to take shape. Fans are now patiently waiting for the tournament to begin, hoping for another exciting week of tennis from next week onwards.