Jack Draper Withdraws from Madrid Open Due to Injury

The Mutua Madrid Open draw has been announced, with live coverage starting on Tuesday on Sky Sports. Britain's Jack Draper, who was initially entered into the competition, has withdrawn due to a lingering knee injury that also forced him to pull out of the Barcelona Open. Draper joins a list of high-profile withdrawals, including Emma Raducanu, Carlos Alcaraz, and Novak Djokovic. He will also miss the Italian Open next month but is aiming to return to action at the French Open in May. 'I have an aggravated tendon in my knee, which means I won't be able to compete in Madrid and Rome,' Draper said. 'Although it's frustrating, I'm relieved it's not a more severe issue, and my recovery is progressing well. I'm optimistic about my chances of being fit for Roland Garros and building momentum from there.' Fellow British player Cameron Norrie will participate in the tournament and has received a first-round bye. Norrie recently made the quarterfinals at the Barcelona Open after reaching the second round in Monte Carlo. Katie Boulter will face American Taylor Townsend in the first round, with a potential second-round matchup against fifth seed Jessica Pegula. Boulter has won all three of their previous encounters but hasn't played Townsend since 2024. A victory would set up a meeting with Pegula, who recently won her second WTA title of the season in Charleston. Despite the absence of Alcaraz and Djokovic, Jannik Sinner is the top seed and will receive a first-round bye. The ATP and WTA Tours can be watched live on Sky Sports or streamed with NOW and the Sky Sports app, offering over 50% more live sports content to Sky Sports customers at no additional cost.