Injury Forces Alcaraz and Djokovic to Withdraw from Madrid Open

Carlos Alcaraz and Novak Djokovic have both been forced to pull out of the Mutua Madrid Open due to ongoing injury issues. Alcaraz, ranked second in the world, is still recovering from a wrist injury that has been troubling him, while Djokovic is dealing with a persistent shoulder problem that has yet to heal. The Spanish player was treated by medical staff during his first-round win over Otto Virtanen in Barcelona and subsequently withdrew from the tournament ahead of his scheduled match against Tomas Machac. This unfortunate turn of events means Alcaraz will now miss the most significant tournament in his home country, which is set to start on April 21 and will be broadcast live on Sky Sports Tennis. In a social media post, Alcaraz expressed his disappointment, stating, "There are some news that are incredibly hard to share. 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. It hurts especially not to be in front of my people, in a tournament that means so much. Thank you for the unwavering affection, and I hope we see each other soon." With Alcaraz's withdrawal from Madrid, Jannik Sinner is likely to become the top seed at the French Open and may retain the world No 1 spot until the end of Wimbledon. Novak Djokovic has also announced that he will not be competing in the Madrid Open as he continues to work through the injury problems that led to his absence from recent events in Miami and Monte Carlo. The 38-year-old Serbian player lost to Carlos Alcaraz in the Australian Open final in February and was defeated by Jack Draper in the fourth round at Indian Wells last month before withdrawing from the Miami Open due to a right shoulder injury. Djokovic then skipped the Monte-Carlo Masters and has now confirmed that he will not participate in the Madrid Open, stating on Instagram, "Madrid, unfortunately I won't be able to compete this year. I'm continuing my recovery in order to be back soon." Other players who have withdrawn from the tournament include Taylor Fritz, Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard, and Britain's Jacob Fearnley, with the draw for the Madrid Open scheduled to take place on Monday. Djokovic will be seeking a record 25th Grand Slam title when the French Open begins on May 24. Britain's Jack Draper is also facing a race against time to be fit for the event in the Spanish capital after retiring from his first match in Barcelona this week with a knee injury. The ATP and WTA Tours can be watched live on Sky Sports or streamed with NOW and the Sky Sports app, providing Sky Sports customers with access to over 50 per cent more live sport this year at no extra cost.