Carlos Alcaraz and Novak Djokovic headline a growing list of stars missing from the 2026 Mutua Madrid Open, leaving tournament organisers scrambling ahead of Monday’s draw.
The Madrid Open has been hit by quite a wave of withdrawals, with 13 players pulling out of the ATP and WTA events just days before the tournament begins. World No. 2 Carlos Alcaraz and former champion Novak Djokovic are among the high-profile casualties, significantly weakening the field at one of clay season’s best tournaments.
The Big Names Missing
The ATP draw has been particularly hard hit, with eight players withdrawing from the men’s event:
Carlos Alcaraz (World No. 2) – The Spanish superstar announced Friday he would miss his home tournament for the second consecutive year due to a right wrist injury sustained at the Barcelona Open. The two-time Madrid champion (2022, 2023) was forced to pull out mid-tournament in Barcelona after tests revealed the extent of the injury.
“There is some news that is incredibly hard to share,” Alcaraz posted in Spanish on social media. “Madrid is home, one of the most special places on my calendar, and that’s why it hurts so much not to be able to play here for the second year in a row. It hurts especially not to be in front of my people, in a tournament that means so much.”
Hay noticias que cuesta muchísimo dar. Madrid es casa, uno de los lugares más especiales del calendario para mí, y por eso me duele tanto no poder jugar aquí por segundo año consecutivo. Me duele especialmente no poder estar delante de mi gente, en un torneo que es tan especial.… pic.twitter.com/Qr6bznFJod
— Carlos Alcaraz (@carlosalcaraz) April 17, 2026
Novak Djokovic (World No. 4) – The three-time Madrid champion (2011, 2016, 2019) withdrew as he continues recovering from a lingering shoulder injury. The Serbian has played just two tournaments in 2026 and had not confirmed his participation despite being listed in the original entry list.
“Madrid, unfortunately I won’t be able to compete at the Madrid Open this year,” Djokovic said via Instagram. “I’m continuing my recovery in order to be back soon.”
Taylor Fritz (World No. 8) – The American became the third Top 10 withdrawal, continuing his absence from clay court competition due to persistent knee tendinitis. Fritz hasn’t played since the Miami Open and had already skipped Monte Carlo and Munich. His team had identified Madrid as a potential comeback point, but that timeline has been pushed back.
Complete ATP Withdrawal List
- Carlos Alcaraz (No. 2) – replaced by Sebastian Ofner
- Novak Djokovic (No. 4) – replaced by Adam Walton
- Taylor Fritz (No. 8) – replaced by Roberto Bautista Agut
- Holger Rune (No. 27) – replaced by Francisco Comesaña
- Sebastian Korda (No. 43) – replaced by Alexander Shevchenko
- Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard (No. 53) – replaced by Alexandre Müller
- Arthur Cazaux (No. 71) – replaced by Alexander Blockx
- Kamil Majchrzak (No. 73) – replaced by Thiago Agustín Tirante
Additionally, 2025 finalist Jack Draper could miss the tournament after retiring from his first-round match in Barcelona with a knee injury, though his withdrawal has not yet been confirmed.
WTA Withdrawals
The women’s withdrawal list is just slightly better to be honest.
- Emma Navarro – replaced by Ashlyn Krueger
- Emma Raducanu – replaced by Ajla Tomljanovic
- Maya Joint – replaced by Moyuka Uchijima
- Barbora Krejcikova – replaced by Zeynep Sonmez
- Sonay Kartal – replaced by Petra Marcinko
- Varvara Gracheva – replaced by Eva Lys
- Veronika Kudermetova – replaced by Taylor Townsend
Former Wimbledon champion Marketa Vondrousova (No. 42) is also expected to withdraw after being charged by the International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA) with refusing a doping test. The Czech player has not competed since January.
The WTA Top 10 remains intact, with defending champion Aryna Sabalenka, Iga Swiatek, Coco Gauff and Elena Rybakina all confirmed for the tournament.
Silver Linings for Lucky Losers
The mass exodus has created unexpected opportunities for players who would otherwise have needed to qualify for the main draw. Veterans Roberto Bautista Agut and Alexandre Müller are among those receiving direct entry.
Sinner favorite
With Alcaraz and Djokovic out, attention shifts to world No. 1 Jannik Sinner, who now seems to have confirmed he will play and will be big favorite among betting sites for the ATP Madrid. Sinner holds a 390-point lead over Alcaraz in the rankings, and a strong showing in Madrid would extend that advantage significantly heading into Rome and Paris.
Challenges for the Madrid Event
Tournament directors Feliciano López and Garbiñe Muguruza now face the challenge of maintaining fan interest and attendance despite losing several top names. Alcaraz, as the local hero and two-time champion, was expected to be the biggest draw for Spanish fans.
The draw ceremony takes place Monday, April 20, with qualifying beginning the same day. Main draw action starts Tuesday, April 21 for the WTA and Wednesday, April 22 for the ATP.
