Seed order at ATP Montreal 2026: Zverev and Jódar know their potential opponents round by round

The ATP Masters 1000 Montreal 2026 now knows the order of its 32 seeded players, with Alexander Zverev as the top favorite in a tournament marked by significant absences and offering a great opportunity to numerous title contenders, like Rafael Jódar. The main draw will begin on Sunday, August 2nd, with 96 players and a format that grants byes in the first round to all seeded players.

The absence of some of the major circuit references leads to an uncommon order of seeds and significantly broadens the field of contenders. Zverev will lead the draw ahead of Félix Auger-Aliassime, Álex de Miñaur, and Daniil Medvedev, while Rafael Jódar will start as the 21st seed, securing a bye in the first round. At the start of the tournament on Sunday, August 2nd, the current ATP ranking for the week is taken as a reference to determine the seeded players. The draw ceremony will take place on Friday, July 31st.

A field of 96 players with a bye in the first round for the 32 seeds

The Canadian Masters 1000 maintains the extended format implemented in recent years. There will be 96 players distributed in a 128-space draw, a circumstance that exempts the 32 seeded players from competing in the first round.

Therefore, all of them will debut directly in the second round against a player who will have had to overcome a previous match. This represents a clear advantage in terms of fatigue, although it may also present some difficulty: the favorites will enter into competition against opponents who will have already acquired rhythm and sensations with the Montreal conditions.

The true importance of the seedings order begins to be perceived from the third round. Not all seeded players can face each other immediately and the ranking determines the groups of potential rivals that each player will have if the predictions come true.

This is how potential matchups between seeded players are established

The draw does not allow any combination between seeded players. In the third round, the top eight seeds will potentially be paired with players ranked between 25th and 32nd, while those ranked from 9th to 16th may face those positioned between 17th and 24th.

The expected distribution round by round is as follows:

Round	Potential Matchups
Third Round	Seeds 1-8 vs. 25-32
Third Round	Seeds 9-16 vs. 17-24
Round of 16	Seeds 1-4 vs. 13-16
Round of 16	Seeds 5-8 vs. 9-12
Quarterfinals	Seeds 1-4 vs. 5-8

This allows for anticipating some scenarios even before knowing the draw. Zverev, Auger-Aliassime, De Miñaur, and Medvedev would not be able to meet before the semifinals, while Shelton, Cobolli, Fritz, and Bublik would be destined to face one of the top four in hypothetical quarterfinals.

Complete order of the 32 seeded players of the ATP Masters 1000 Montreal 2026

This is the order of the seeds provided for the Canadian tournament, based on the relevant ranking:

The list perfectly reflects the opportunity that this Masters 1000 represents for many players. The absence of several big names means that players who would normally occupy much lower positions enjoy a privileged status in the draw and can legitimately aspire to make deep runs.

Jódar, with a favorable situation but significant danger in the third round

Especially interesting is Rafael Jódar's position. The Spaniard will be the 21st seed, so he will have a bye in the first round and won't face another seeded player in his debut. However, if he surpasses that initial challenge, the difficulty could increase dramatically. Due to his seeding between the 17th and 24th positions, Jódar could meet in the third round with any player ranked between the 9th and 16th: Jiri Lehecka, Casper Ruud, Andrey Rublev, Lorenzo Musetti, Learner Tien, Jakub Mensik, Valentin Vacherot, or Frances Tiafoe.

It is a tremendously demanding group, although it also offers options. Jódar would initially avoid the eight main favorites and could face that hypothetical third round with the confidence of knowing that he has already proven to have the level to compete against players of such caliber. If he manages to overcome that obstacle, his next potential opponent in the round of 16 would depend on the specific location assigned by the draw.

Montreal also represents a magnificent opportunity to earn points in his goal of continuing to establish himself among the best in the world. The Madrid native arrives at the North American tour wanting to regain continuity after the physical problems suffered during the grass season, and a good few weeks could significantly strengthen his position before the US Open.

Zverev assumes favoritism in a wide-open Masters 1000

Alexander Zverev will inevitably be the man who attracts the most attention. His status as world number 2 and top seed gives him the best possible position in the draw, avoiding Auger-Aliassime, De Miñaur, and Medvedev until hypothetical semifinals.

In the third round, the German could face one of the seeds ranked between 25th and 32nd: Humbert, Tabilo, Etcheverry, Blockx, Nakashima, Buse, Arnaldi, or Bergs. In the round of 16, if the rankings hold, one of the players placed between 13th and 16th would appear: Tien, Mensik, Vacherot, or Tiafoe.

The scenario significantly complicates from the quarterfinals, where any of Shelton, Cobolli, Fritz, or Bublik could appear in his path depending on the draw. Nevertheless, Zverev's current status and the tournament context position him as the prime favorite for the title.

This doesn't mean that Montreal has an obvious owner. Auger-Aliassime will have the huge motivation of competing at home, Medvedev perfectly understands what it takes to triumph in major hard court events, and players like Shelton, Fritz, or Bublik possess enough weapons to capitalize on such an open field. They are joined by ambitious youngsters like Jódar, Fonseca, Mensik, or Tien, capable of altering any prediction.

The draw will determine their chances conclusively. With 32 players protected as seeds and a format that places them directly in the second round, the third round emerges as Montreal 2026's first major turning point. This is where the direct matchups between pre-seeded players commence and where it will be revealed who is truly ready to seize one of the best opportunities of the year at a Masters 1000 event.

This news is an automatic translation. You can read the original news, Orden de cabezas de serie en el ATP Montreal 2026: Zverev y Jódar conocen sus posibles rivales ronda a ronda