Madrid Open draws revealed as Alcaraz’s future comes into doubt and Draper suffers another blow – Tennis Roundup
It’s another week, and the top tennis professionals are back in the Spanish capital for another edition of the Madrid Open – taking place from April 22 – May 3.
The draws have been made after multiple high-profile withdrawals, including Carlos Alcaraz, Novak Djokovic, Karolina Muchova, Jack Draper and Emma Raducanu.
In other news, Alcaraz’s participation chances for Rome and the French Open have been placed into doubt by Feliciano Lopez – former world No 12.
Here are some of the biggest tennis stories from Monday.
Sinner leads a diminished ATP Madrid Open
Fresh off his success in Monte Carlo, Jannik Sinner will begin his campaign against a qualifier as he targets a fifth straight Masters 1000 title – a feat none done by any other player.
He could face 32nd seed Gabriel Diallo early on, with a potential fourth-round clash against 15th seed Tommy Paul, and a projected quarter-final against fifth seed Alex de Minaur.
Fourth seed Ben Shelton and sixth seed Lorenzo Musetti are projected to meet in the quarter-finals in a strong upper-half section. However, both will have their work cut out as their section is filled with dangerous opposition, including 11th seed Jiri Lehecka, 14th seed Valentin Vacherot, and 21st seed Arthur Fils.
In the bottom half, third seed Felix Auger-Aliassime and eighth seed Alexander Bublik are on course for a potential eighth meeting in the quarter-finals. Reigning champion Casper Ruud, who retired with injury in Monte Carlo, also looms in this section as the 12th seed, with a possible fourth-round clash against the Kazakh.
The final quarter sees second seed Alexander Zverev projected to meet seventh seed Daniil Medvedev, with the German opening his campaign against Nuno Borges or Mariano Navone.
The men’s final is scheduled for May 3.
READ: ATP Madrid Open draw: Sinner’s entry confirmed; Shelton, Fils & Musetti in same quarter
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Sabalenka route to fourth Madrid Open title revealed as draw announced
The 2026 Madrid Open WTA draw is also out, with both halves looking equally tough.
Sabalenka, the three-time Madrid champion, has a bye to the second round and will open against either Peyton Stearns or Lois Boisson.
The Belarusian could go on to meet Naomi Osaka in the fourth round and either Jasmine Paolini or Belinda Bencic in the quarter-finals. If seeds hold, she is projected to face Iga Swiatek in the semi-finals.
Swiatek, the 2024 champion, opens against a qualifier or Daria Kasatkina, before possibly facing rising star Iva Jovic and then either Mirra Andreeva or Elina Svitolina in the quarter-finals. The six-time Grand Slam champion recently lost to the Russian at the Stuttgart Open, 3-6, 6-4, 6-3.
In the bottom half, recent Stuttgart winner Elena Rybakina is projected to meet Madison Keys in the fourth round and Amanda Anisimova in the quarter-finals. In the other section, Coco Gauff and Jessica Pegula are set for a quarter-final clash, with Canadian Victoria Mboko also looming as a dangerous opponent.
The women’s final is scheduled for 2 May.
Lopez puts Alcaraz’s short-term future into doubt
Feliciano Lopez believes it will be ‘almost impossible’ for Carlos Alcaraz to play in the Italian Open, after the Spaniard suffered a wrist injury at the Barcelona Open.
The world No 2 recently withdrew from the Barcelona event and the Madrid Open, due to the injury.
The former world No. 12, who is the Madrid Masters tournament director, said Alcaraz’s wrist injury is similar to one he suffered, which kept him out for about eight weeks.
Lopez added he has not spoken directly to Alcaraz about the injury, but he has called the six-time Grand Slam champion’s chances of playing in Rome ‘almost impossible’ and appeared to suggest that the French Open may be at risk.
Aside from the longer-term worries, Alcaraz has 3000 points across the two events – having won both in 2025.
