Novak Djokovic has withdrawn from the Canadian Open after not meeting the vaccination criteria required for entry into the country.
To qualify as a fully vaccinated traveler to Canada an individual must have received their second dose of a COVID-19 vaccine at least 14 days prior to entering Canada.
The 21-time grand slam champion has openly refused to get vaccinated against the coronavirus despite it costing him a chance to defend his Australian Open crown this year.
Canadian Open, an ATP 1000 event, is used as a tune-up tournament by athletes for the upcoming U.S Open which Djokovic is prepared to miss if he is not granted an exemption.
Away from the drama of Djokovic’s absence, the tournament has handed wildcard entries to three-time Grand Slam champion and former world number one Murray, Belgian David Goffin, and Canadians Vasek Pospisil and Alexis Galarneau.
Wimbledon finalist Nick Kyrgios of Australia and Frenchman Benjamin Bonzi also find themselves in the main draw.
Murray is a three-time champion in Canada and has risen to No. 50 from 134 in the rankings this season after regaining some of the form which saw him battle the “big three” on the biggest tennis stages.
Goffin, meanwhile, returns to action after reaching the quarter-finals at Wimbledon in July, Pospisil was a Montreal semi-finalist in 2013 while Galarneau, 23, will be making his debut in the main draw of the event.
