Carlos Alcaraz and Novak Djokovic have both been forced to withdraw 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.
The news is particularly disappointing for Alcaraz, who considers the Madrid Open one of the highlights of his calendar, and he expressed his sadness on social media, stating that it 'hurts so much not to be able to play here for the second year in a row.' With Alcaraz's withdrawal, Jannik Sinner is likely to become the top seed at the French Open and may take over as world No 1 until the end of Wimbledon. Djokovic, a 24-time Grand Slam champion, announced his withdrawal on Instagram, citing his need to continue his recovery in order to return to competition soon. Other players, including Taylor Fritz, Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard, and Britain's Jacob Fearnley, have also withdrawn from the tournament. Meanwhile, Rafael Jodar has been making waves in the Barcelona Open, earning his second consecutive win against Cameron Norrie and extending his winning streak to eight matches.
Jodar will face ninth seed Arthur Fils in the semi-finals on Saturday.