Which is tougher for a top-level event to endure: Losing three of the Big Four on the men’s side, or Serena Williams, the No. 1 player on the women’s side? On Sunday, the Rogers Cup found out that it would be suffering through both situations this week, when Serena, citing shoulder inflammation, withdrew from Montreal. Just as unfortunate, as far as the WTA’s future goes, is the absence of defending champion Belinda Bencic. Since cracking the Top 10 earlier this year, the young Swiss has been an injury waiting to happen.
At this point, tournament officials should just be happy that world No. 2 Angelique Kerber, who has been dealing with a balky elbow, didn’t follow Serena out the door and on to the Olympic Games in Rio.
Kerber says she’s OK to play, as are the rest of the WTA’s top tier—that includes Garbiñe Muguruza, Agnieszka Radwanska, Simona Halep and, for the moment at least, new world No. 6 Venus Williams. Here’s a look at the Montreal draw, and who might play the best while the best woman is away.