The Mutua Madrid Open draw has been announced, with the tournament set to begin on Tuesday, broadcast live on Sky Sports. Unfortunately, Britain's Jack Draper has withdrawn from the competition due to a lingering knee injury that also forced him to curtail his participation in the Barcelona Open. Draper joins a list of notable withdrawals, including Emma Raducanu, Carlos Alcaraz, and Novak Djokovic.
The 2024 US Open semi-finalist is also expected to miss the Italian Open next month but is aiming to return to action at the French Open in May. In a statement, Draper explained, "A tendon issue in my knee means I won't be able to compete in Madrid and Rome. Although it's frustrating, I'm relieved it's not a more severe injury, and my recovery is progressing well. I'm optimistic about my chances of being fit for Roland Garros and look forward to regaining momentum from there." Meanwhile, Britain's Cameron Norrie will participate in the tournament and has received a first-round bye.
Norrie recently made the quarter-finals of the Barcelona Open, following a second-round exit at 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, who reached the quarter-finals in Rouen last week, has defeated Townsend in all their previous meetings, although they haven't played since Beijing in 2024. Townsend has been in good form this season, reaching the final of the ATX Open WTA 250 in February. A victory for Boulter would set up a second-round encounter with Pegula, who recently claimed 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 bye in the first round.
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