Carlos Alcaraz and Novak Djokovic have both withdrawn from the Mutua Madrid Open due to ongoing injury issues. Alcaraz, ranked second in the world, is still recovering from a wrist injury, while Djokovic is dealing with a persistent shoulder problem that has kept him from competing in recent events. The news is particularly disappointing for Alcaraz, who was forced to pull out of the tournament in his home country for the second year in a row.
In a social media post, Alcaraz expressed his disappointment, stating that Madrid is one of the most special places on his calendar, and that it hurts him not to be able to play in front of his home crowd. With Alcaraz out of the tournament, Jannik Sinner is likely to become the top seed at the French Open and potentially take over as world No 1 until the end of Wimbledon. Novak Djokovic also announced his withdrawal from the Madrid Open, citing his ongoing recovery from a right shoulder injury that has kept him out of competition in recent weeks. The 38-year-old Serb, a three-time champion in Madrid, is working towards a return to the court and is looking to be back in time for the French Open, where he will be seeking a record 25th Grand Slam title.
Other players who have withdrawn from the tournament include Taylor Fritz, Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard, and Britain's Jacob Fearnley. The draw for the Madrid Open is set to take place on Monday, and the tournament will be broadcast live on Sky Sports Tennis.
In other tennis news, Rafael Jodar has extended his winning streak to eight matches with a solid performance against Cameron Norrie in the quarter-finals of the Barcelona Open. The 19-year-old Spaniard is now just one win away from reaching his second tour-level final and will face ninth seed Arthur Fils in the semi-finals on Saturday.