Draper Withdraws from Madrid Open Due to Injury, Boulter Faces Townsend

The Mutua Madrid Open draw has been announced, with the tournament set to start on Tuesday and broadcast live on Sky Sports. Britain's Jack Draper has withdrawn from the competition due to a knee injury that also forced him to pull out of the Barcelona Open.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 for 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 stated. "While it's frustrating, I'm relieved it's not a more severe injury. My recovery is progressing well, and I'm optimistic about my chances of being fit for Roland Garros." Meanwhile, Britain's Cameron Norrie will participate in the tournament and has received a first-round bye. Norrie reached the quarterfinals of the Barcelona Open last week after a second-round exit in Monte Carlo. Katie Boulter will face American Taylor Townsend in the first round, with a potential second-round match 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. Although Alcaraz and Djokovic are absent, 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 Sky Sports customers over 50% more live sports content at no additional cost.