World No 2 Carlos Alcaraz and tennis legend Novak Djokovic have both been forced to pull out of the Mutua Madrid Open due to ongoing injury issues. Alcaraz, who has been dealing with a wrist injury, expressed his disappointment on social media, stating that missing the tournament in his home country is 'incredibly hard' for him. Djokovic, meanwhile, is still recovering from a shoulder problem that has kept him out of recent events. The withdrawals have significant implications for the tournament, with Jannik Sinner likely to become the top seed at the French Open.
Other players, including Taylor Fritz and Britain's Jacob Fearnley, have also withdrawn from the Madrid Open. The event is set to begin on April 21, with the draw taking place on Monday. In related news, Rafael Jodar has extended his winning streak to eight matches with a straight-sets victory over Cameron Norrie in the quarter-finals of the Barcelona Open.