FILE PHOTO: Novak Djokovic. Robert Deutsch-USA TODAY Sports/File Photo
Wimbledon champion Novak Djokovic, whose refusal to be vaccinated against COVID-19 makes him unable to enter Canada, has officially withdrawn from the ATP hardcourt tournament in Montreal, organizers said Thursday.
The Serb star’s unvaccinated status made it unlikely he would play in the prestigious ATP Masters tournament, just as it means he will probably miss the US Open starting later in August as the United States also requires visitors to the country to show proof of vaccination.
Montreal Masters tournament director Eugene Lepierre had said earlier this month he did not expect Djokovic to play.
“Either the Canadian government is going to change the rules regarding vaccination or he is going to roll up his sleeves and get the vaccine. But I don’t think any of those scenarios are realistic,” Lepierre said.
Germany’s Oscar Otte has also withdrawn from the tournament which starts Monday with Benjamin Bonzi of France and Australia’s Wimbledon runner-up Nick Kyrgios moving into the main draw, Tennis Canada said.
FILE PHOTO: Andy Murray. REUTERS/Matthew Childs
In addition, three-time Grand Slam champion Andy Murray was handed a wild card on Thursday, along with Belgian David Goffin and Canadians Vasek Pospisil and Alexis Galarneau.
Britain’s Murray, a former world number one who won the Canadian title in 2009, 2010 and 2015, has been rising in the rankings this season from 134th to 50th.
He reached finals in Sydney in January and Stuttgart in June, but fell in the first round in Washington earlier this week to Sweden’s Mikael Ymer.
Despite that disappointment, Murray said on Monday he believes he can get his ranking high enough to earn a seeding at the US Open, which he won a decade ago.
“It’s still possible,” Murray said. “I would just need to have a good run in Canada or Cincinnati really. It’s pretty straightforward if I was to make a quarter-final or a semi-final, which right now — after a loss like that — doesn’t seem realistic.
“I do feel like if I play very well that I could do that. But I’ll need to certainly play better than I did today.”