Carlos Alcaraz and Novak Djokovic have both announced that they will not compete in the Mutua Madrid Open because of physical problems. The Spanish prodigy, who is currently ranked world No. 2, is still nursing a wrist injury that forced him to miss several matches, while the Serbian legend is battling a persistent shoulder issue that has kept him out of recent tournaments and prevented a full comeback. Alcaraz’s situation unfolded after his first‑round victory over Finland’s Otto Virtanen at the Barcelona Open.
Although he secured the win, he required medical attention for his wrist and subsequently withdrew before his next scheduled match against compatriot Tomáš Macháč. In a heartfelt post on social media, the 20‑year‑old expressed his disappointment, saying that Madrid feels like a second home and that missing the event for a second consecutive year was especially painful.
He thanked his fans for their constant support and promised to return as soon as his body allows. The withdrawal means Alcaraz will miss the biggest tournament on Spanish soil, which is set to start on April 21 and will be broadcast live on Sky Sports Tennis. His absence also reshapes the tournament’s seeding picture.
With the Spaniard out, Italy’s Jannik Sinner is now the overwhelming favorite to be the top seed at the upcoming French Open and is likely to hold the world No. 1 ranking through the Wimbledon Championships, assuming he maintains his current form. Novak Djokovic, the 38‑year‑old Serbian who has won 24 Grand Slam titles, also confirmed that he will not travel to Madrid. He has been dealing with the same shoulder injury that forced him to pull out of the Miami Open and caused him to skip the Monte‑Carlo Masters.
After a loss to Alcaraz in the Australian Open final and a fourth‑round exit to Jack Draper at Indian Wells, Djokovic’s schedule has been heavily disrupted. In an Instagram statement, he wrote, "Madrid, unfortunately I won’t be able to compete this year. I’m continuing my recovery in order to be back soon." Djokovic’s decision adds further depth to an already star‑studded field that has seen several other withdrawals.
American Taylor Fritz, French youngster Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard, and Britain’s Jacob Fearnley have also pulled out, leaving the draw to be finalized on Monday. The Serbian is still aiming for a record 25th Grand Slam title when the French Open begins on May 24, but he will have to manage his shoulder carefully in the weeks leading up to Roland Garros. The Spanish capital’s tournament also suffered a blow with the injury‑related exit of Britain’s Jack Draper, who retired from his opening match in Barcelona due to a knee problem. Draper, a rising star who recently upset top‑seed Carlos Alcaraz at the Australian Open, now faces a race against time to regain fitness before the French Open.
In other news from the Barcelona Open, 19‑year‑old Rafael Jodar secured his second consecutive win over Britain’s Cameron Norrie in the quarter‑finals, cruising to a 6‑3, 6‑2 victory and extending his winning streak to eight matches. Jodar’s performance mirrors his earlier triumph over the former world No. 8 in Acapulco earlier this year, and his run in Barcelona makes him only the fifth Spanish teenager in the Open Era to reach the semi‑finals of the event. He joins a distinguished list that includes Alex Corretja (1994), Carlos Moya (1996), Rafael Nadal (2005, 2006) and Carlos Alcaraz (2022, 2023).
Jodar will now face ninth‑seed Arthur Fils, who advanced by defeating second‑seed Lorenzo Musetti, in a semi‑final clash that could see him contest his second tour‑level final. Meanwhile, on the WTA side, Britain’s Katie Boulter suffered a straight‑sets defeat to Veronika Podrez in the quarter‑finals at Rouen, losing 6‑4, 6‑1 and ending her run in the tournament.
The withdrawals of Alcaraz and Djokovic have significant implications for the ATP and WTA calendars. Their absence opens the door for other players to make deeper runs, potentially reshaping the rankings ahead of the Grand Slam season.
Fans can still follow live action through Sky Sports or the NOW streaming service, which offers expanded coverage for subscribers. The tournament organizers hope that the remaining field will deliver high‑quality tennis despite the high‑profile absences, and that both Alcaraz and Djokovic will recover fully and return to competition in the near future.