Djokovic withdraws from Canada hardcourt event over COVID vaccination refusal

Djokovic has refused to take the vaccine but was still included on the entry list for the ATP 1000 hardcourt event in Montreal when it was released in mid-July.

To qualify as a fully vaccinated traveller to Canada, an individual must have received their second dose of a COVID-19 vaccine at least 14 days prior to entering Canada.

Along with world number six Djokovic, Tennis Canada said Germany's Oscar Otte (29) also withdrew and that Wimbledon finalist Nick Kyrgios (27) of Australia and Frenchman Benjamin Bonzi (26) were entered into the main draw.

Djokovic, who remains on the entry list for the US Open in New York, which starts later this month, has previously said he was prepared to miss Grand Slam tournaments rather than take the COVID-19 vaccine. He is very unlikely to take part at Flushing Meadows because of his vaccination status.

The Serbian was unable to defend his Australian Open crown this year after being deported from the country over his vaccination status in January.

Tennis Canada also handed out Montreal wildcards to three-times Grand Slam champion and former world number one Andy Murray (35), Belgian David Goffin (31) and Canadians Vasek Pospisil (32) and Alexis Galarneau (23).

Briton Murray, a three-times champion in Canada, has risen to world number 50 from 134 in the rankings this season and has reached the finals in Sydney and Stuttgart.

Goffin returned to action after his quarter-final loss last week at the Citi Open last week, Pospisil was a Montreal semi-finalist in 2013 while Galarneau will be making his debut in the main draw of the event.