Injury Forces Carlos Alcaraz and Novak Djokovic to Withdraw from Madrid Open
Carlos Alcaraz and Novak Djokovic have both pulled out of the Mutua Madrid Open due to injury, shaking up the tournament landscape. World No 2 Alcaraz continues to recover from a wrist injury sustained during his first-round victory over Otto Virtanen at the Barcelona Open. He received medical attention during that match and subsequently withdrew before facing Tomas Machac. Alcaraz expressed his disappointment on social media, stating, "Madrid is home, one of the most special places on my calendar, and that's why it hurts so much not to be able to play here for the second year in a row." With Alcaraz's absence, Jannik Sinner is now poised to become the top seed at the French Open and likely maintain the world No 1 ranking until the end of Wimbledon. Novak Djokovic, the three-time Madrid champion, also announced his withdrawal. He has been grappling with a lingering shoulder issue that has sidelined him from recent events, including the Miami Open and Monte-Carlo Masters. In his Instagram post, Djokovic said, "Madrid, unfortunately I won't be able to compete this year. I'm continuing my recovery in order to be back soon." Additionally, players Taylor Fritz, Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard, and Jacob Fearnley have also withdrawn, further impacting the tournament. The draw for the Madrid Open is set to take place on Monday. Djokovic aims for his record 25th Grand Slam title at the French Open starting on May 24. Meanwhile, Jack Draper is also in a race to recover after retiring from his first match in Barcelona due to a knee injury.
Source: Sky Sports - 2026-04-17