The Mutua Madrid Open is set to commence on Tuesday, broadcasting live on Sky Sports. However, British tennis player Jack Draper has pulled out of the competition as he continues to recover from a knee injury sustained during the Barcelona Open. Draper joins a list of notable absentees, including Emma Raducanu, Carlos Alcaraz, and Novak Djokovic. The 2024 US Open semi-finalist will also miss the Italian Open next month but is aiming to participate in the French Open in May.
Draper stated, 'An aggravated tendon in my knee means I am not able to play in Madrid and Rome. It's frustrating, but I am thankful it isn't anything more serious, and I feel good about my chances of being fit for Roland Garros.' 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 after a second-round exit at Monte Carlo.
Katie Boulter will face American Taylor Townsend in the first round, with a potential meeting against fifth seed Jessica Pegula in the second round. Boulter has defeated Townsend in all their previous matches but hasn't played her since Beijing in 2024. Townsend has been in good form this season, reaching the final of the ATX Open WTA 250 in February. A win for Boulter would set up a second-round match against Pegula, who recently won her second WTA title of the season in Charleston.
Although Alcaraz and Djokovic are not participating, Jannik Sinner is the top seed and has received 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.