Novak Djokovic has officially withdrawn from next week’s National Bank Open held in Montreal.
The former World No. 1 did not provide a reason why he will not be playing ahead of the final major tournament of the year, the U.S. Open.
However, it is speculated that Djokovic withdrew due to his vaccination status for COVID-19. He is unvaccinated and outwardly against getting the vaccine. Canada currently requires travelers to have at least two doses of the vaccine to enter the country.
The same issue presents itself for Djokovic’s chances at the 2022 U.S. Open, which begins Aug. 29. The United States currently requires travelers from foreign countries to be fully vaccinated.
However, the 35-year-old recently posted on Instagram he was preparing for the U.S. Open and hopeful he can play in the tournament. A decision about his status has yet to be made, but he does remain on the entry list.
Because of the U.S.’s current vaccine rules, Djokovic withdrew from various American tournaments toward the beginning of the season. He has played in only seven tournaments this year due to vaccination issues.
The 21-time Grand Slam winner will most likely miss his second major tournament of the year because of his vaccination status. He was deported from Australia ahead of the Australian Open due to the same reason last January. The situation continues to loom over Djokovic’s entire season.
