As we gear up towards the US Open, the final Grand Slam of the year, many of the men’s top tennis players are taking to the courts in Canada for the National Bank Open.

The event is an ATP Masters 1,000 tournament, and will take place in Montreal between Saturday, August 1, and Thursday, August 13 (Canadian time).

Quick Picks

• Our pick: Zverev to win
• Value bet: Auger-Aliassime each-way
• Long shot: Shelton each-way

Betting Preview

This year’s event will be without Jannik Sinner and Novak Djokovic once again, as both have already confirmed that they won’t be taking part.

World number 1 Sinner has recently won Wimbledon and has pulled out for health-related reasons and workload management, while Djokovic is managing his ageing body in a bid to be in peak form for the biggest majors.

Played on the outdoor hard courts at IGA Stadium in Jarry Park, Montreal, this year’s ATP Masters 1,000 event is wide open. Spaniard Carlos Alcaraz will also be absent due to the wrist injury he’s been plagued with since April.

Many of the best players who remain will be looking at this event (and the upcoming Cincinnati ATP 1000 Masters event) as ideal preparation for the big prize at the end of the month, the US Open.

Players who could look to make strides and get in some valuable playing practice on the hard courts may include Alexander Zverev and Félix Auger-Aliassime, as both men look to continue to perform well after a solid grass-court campaign.

Betting Markets to Watch

Zverev managed to reach the Wimbledon final last month before being beaten by Sinner, and he’ll likely be considered the main favourite heading into this event without the Italian, Alcaraz, or Djokovic involved. His last two defeats were in ranking events on this surface, and were both to Sinner at the semi-final stage.

The German is accomplished on the hard court, having won almost three-quarters (72.5%) of his matches on this surface over the last 52 weeks (37-14). Throughout his career, he is 331-155 (68.1%) on this surface, so as the likely top seed, things are looking good for him.

Auger-Aliassime , meanwhile, has found some super solid form recently and will have value to his name in the odds.

He may have struggled to get over the line in the past, crashing out in the quarter-finals of his last four events (including two Grand Slams). But on the hard courts, he has had a final appearance and appeared in a semi in 2026.

While his form can be pretty erratic, he is still 39-14 (73.6%) on this surface, and without the usual contenders, some may feel he will have a chance here.

Our Prediction

We think Zverev is the most likely to win. Auger-Aliassime offers value as an each-way bet.

Ben Shelton could have value as a long shot, as he is the defending champion. He has been solid this season and his game suits the hard courts, although he hasn’t been particularly consistent in ATP Masters 1000 events.

Aussie Alex di Minaur may be something of an outsider to look at too.

Currently ranked world number five, he’s done well in Canada previously, making it to the last eight in the previous two appearances. He might even have a spring in his step after marrying British tennis star Katie Boulter earlier in July, too.