Serbia's Novak Djokovic returns to Italy's Jannik Sinner in a men's singles quarterfinal match on day nine of the Wimbledon tennis championships in London, July 5, 2022. (ALASTAIR GRANT / AP)

Novak Djokovic has withdrawn from next week's US Open tune-up event in Canada as he cannot enter the country without being fully vaccinated against COVID-19, tournament organizers said on Thursday while handing Andy Murray one of four wildcards.

Wimbledon champion Djokovic, whose withdrawal was announced a day before the official draw ceremony, has refused to take the vaccine but was included on the entry list for the ATP 1000 hardcourt event in Montreal when it was released in mid-July.

Novak Djokovic, who remains on the entry list for the Aug 29-Sept 11 US Open in New York, has previously said he was prepared to miss Grand Slam tournaments rather than take the COVID-19 vaccine

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.

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

Djokovic, who remains on the entry list for the Aug 29-Sept 11 US Open in New York, has previously said he was prepared to miss Grand Slam tournaments rather than take the COVID-19 vaccine.

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Britain's Andy Murray stretches to play a return to Australia's James Duckworth in a first round men's singles match on day one of the Wimbledon tennis championships in London, June 27, 2022. (KIRSTY WIGGLESWORTH / AP)

Andy Murray, a three-times champion in Canada, has risen to No. 50 from 134 in the rankings this season and has reached the finals in Sydney and Stuttgart

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 Murray, Belgian David Goffin and Canadians Vasek Pospisil and Alexis Galarneau.

Briton Murray, a three-times champion in Canada, has risen to No. 50 from 134 in the rankings this season and has reached the finals in Sydney and Stuttgart.

READ MORE: Murray safely through despite slow start

Goffin 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.