Novak Djokovic withdrew from the upcoming hard court tournament in Montreal on Thursday because he is not vaccinated against COVID-19 and is therefore not allowed to travel to Canada.
For the same reason, as things stand at present, he will not be able to take part in the US Open later this month.
Djokovic, a 35-year-old Serb, has said he won’t get the recordings, even if it means he won’t be able to go to certain tournaments. He missed the Australian Open in January after being expelled from that country and had to sit out two events in the United States earlier this year.
He played at the French Open, where he lost to Rafael Nadal in the quarterfinals, and at Wimbledon, which Djokovic won last month for his 21st Grand Slam title – one behind Nadal’s men’s record.
Unvaccinated foreign nationals cannot travel to Canada or the United States, so Djokovic withdrew from Montreal a day before the tournament’s scheduled draw and is expected to sit out the US Open, which begins in New York on August 29.
Last weekend, Djokovic posted on social media that he harbors hopes of getting a chance to play the US Open, writing: “I’m preparing as if I’m allowed to compete while waiting to hear if there is room for me to travel to the US. Fingers crossed!”
After beating Nick Kyrgios in the Wimbledon final on July 10, Djokovic said he would “love to” compete in the final Grand Slam tournament of the year at Flushing Meadows, but also conceded, “I have no plans to get vaccinated allow.”
Djokovic is a three-time US Open champion. His loss to Daniil Medvedev in last year’s final there prevented Djokovic from becoming the first man since Rod Laver in 1969 to win a Grand Slam in a calendar year.
Oscar Otte also withdrew from Montreal on Thursday; Kyrgios and Benjamin Bonzi moved into the bracket.
Four wildcard placements went to three-time Major champion Andy Murray, David Goffin, Vasek Pospisil and Alexis Galarneau.
Nadal, who retired from Wimbledon ahead of the semi-finals due to a torn abdominal muscle, is still scheduled to play in Montreal.