Alcaraz, Djokovic Withdraw from 2026 Madrid Open

Madrid, Spain - The 2026 Madrid Open faces an unusually open men's draw after top-ranked Carlos Alcaraz and Novak Djokovic withdrew from the ATP Masters 1000 event, leaving world No. 1 Jannik Sinner as the clear favorite if he competes when the tournament begins on April 22 at La Caja Mágica.

Alcaraz, the two-time defending champion from 2022 and 2023, announced his absence on social media due to an arm injury sustained at the Barcelona Open. "Some news is incredibly hard to share," Alcaraz wrote. "Madrid is home, one of the most special places on the calendar to me, and that's why it hurts so much not being able to play here for the second year in a row." This marks his second consecutive withdrawal from the home event, where he has a strong record, including victories over Rafael Nadal and Djokovic en route to his 2022 title and a successful defense against Jan-Lennard Struff in 2023. He reached the quarterfinals in 2024 before losing to eventual winner Andrey Rublev.

Djokovic, a three-time Madrid champion, cited ongoing recovery from physical issues in his withdrawal post. "Madrid, unfortunately I won't be able to compete this year," he stated. "I'm continuing my recovery in...