By Canadian Press

Four stars missing from men’s Rogers Cup, but Federer and Nadal are all they need

Aug 4, 2017 | 4:15 PM

MONTREAL — Tournament director Eugene Lapierre isn’t upset that four of the world’s top tennis players won’t be at the men’s Rogers Cup.

This year, all that really matters is having veterans Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer, and they will be the top seeds when play begins Monday at Uniprix Stadium.

Andy Murray, Novak Djokovic, Stan Wawrinka and Marin Cilic all pulled out with injuries.

“I’m sorry for those players but the story of the year in 2017 is two names — Federer and Nadal,” Lapierre said at the tournament draw on Friday. “Those two guys are here and they will be competing for number one in the world in the next few tournaments.

“Nadal maybe here. If he reaches the semifinal it would clinch the number one spot. So he has that in his mind for sure.”

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Lapierre said it was the first time the two players, both well into their 30s, have been seeded first and second since Monte Carlo in 2011. That puts them on opposite sides of the draw so they have a chance to meet in the final.

“It’s like we’re back 10 years ago when these guys were at the top of their game,” said Lapierre. “And both are playing as good as they’ve ever played.

“So everyone will be following those players, trying to see if they will go the distance. But it’s not going to be easy because there are also other very good players in this draw.”

Federer, who turns 36 on Tuesday, looked to be on the downside of his career but bounced back with wins at the Australian Open and Wimbledon. Nadal has battled injuries in recent years but came back to claim a 10th French Open title in June.

There are young guns ready to block their march to the final, however, starting with third seed Dominic Thiem of Austria and fourth seeded Alexander Zverev of Germany.

With the four stars pulling out, Milos Raonic of Thornhill, Ont., moved into the top eight seeds at No. 6 and will get a first-round bye. He could meet Nadal, against whom he is 2-7, in the quarter-finals.

That quarter of the draw also has rising 18-year-old talent Denis Shapovalov of Richmond Hill, Ont., who will face a qualifier in the first round. Shapovalov caused a stir at last year’s Rogers Cup in Toronto by knocking off Aussie star Nick Kyrgios.

“He’s going to have a lot of pressure, with a lot of expectations here on centre court,” said Lapierre. “But he’s good.

“I think he can hold the pressure. I can’t wait to see him on the big stage.”

Kei Nishikori of Japan (5), Grigor Dimitrov of Bulgaria (7) and Jo-Wilfried Tsonga of France (8) round out the top seeds.

Brayden Schnur of Toronto has a tough opening round against French veteran Richard Gasquet, with the winner facing Zverev.

An all-Canadian match has Peter Polansky of Toronto, who has been hot on the Challenger circuit of late, against Canada’s second best ranked singles player — Vancouver native Vasek Pospisil. The winner meets Federer in the second round.

Another young Canadian talent, Felix Auger-Aliassime of Montreal, withdrew with a left wrist injury.

Bill Beacon, The Canadian Press