Carlos Alcaraz and Novak Djokovic have both been forced to pull out of the Mutua Madrid Open due to ongoing injury issues. Alcaraz, currently ranked second in the world, is still recovering from a wrist injury, while Djokovic is dealing with a persistent shoulder problem that has hindered his return to competition. The Spanish tennis star was compelled to withdraw from the Barcelona tournament before his scheduled match against Tomas Machac, after receiving medical attention during his first-round victory over Otto Virtanen.
This unfortunate turn of events means Alcaraz will miss the most significant tournament in his home country, set to commence on April 21 and broadcast live on Sky Sports Tennis. In a heartfelt message on social media, Alcaraz expressed his deep disappointment, 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 withdrawal from the Madrid Open, Jannik Sinner is likely to become the top seed at the French Open and potentially hold the world No 1 position until the end of Wimbledon. Novak Djokovic, a 24-time Grand Slam champion, has also announced his withdrawal from the Madrid Open, citing his ongoing recovery from injury.
Djokovic, who lost to Alcaraz in the Australian Open final, has been struggling with a right shoulder injury that forced him to miss recent events in Miami and Monte Carlo. In a social media post, Djokovic stated, "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 Other players who have withdrawn from the tournament include Taylor Fritz, Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard, and Britain's Jacob Fearnley. The draw for the Madrid Open is scheduled for Monday.
Djokovic will be seeking a record 25th Grand Slam title when the French Open begins on May 24. Meanwhile, Britain's Jack Draper is racing against time to recover from a knee injury in time for the event in the Spanish capital. 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 will face ninth seed Arthur Fils in the semi-finals, as he attempts to reach his second tour-level final. Katie Boulter suffered a straight sets loss to Veronika Podrez in the quarter-finals in Rouen.