The 2026 Madrid Open is around the corner, with Aryna Sabalenka and Jannik Sinner expected to headline the event as the main attractions. Coco Gauff, Iga Świątek, and Alexander Zverev are other top stars that are set to appear in the draw.
The tournament has, however, suffered an early blow after several high-profile players, including Emma Raducanu and two-time champion Carlos Alcaraz, backed out. As the qualifying rounds near, here’s a look at the top players who have pulled out of the event.
Carlos Alcaraz
Alcaraz has withdrawn from his home Masters 1000 event for the second consecutive year. The Spaniard is battling a wrist injury he sustained during his first match at the Barcelona Open. He called the injury “more serious” than initially predicted.
Novak Djokovic
Just a day before Djokovic announced his withdrawal, reports surfaced that the Serb was ready to compete at the tournament. He was spotted training in Marbella to catch up with the field after an extended absence.
After his elimination from Indian Wells, Djokovic canceled his Miami and Monte-Carlo plans, citing a right shoulder injury. He recently admitted that he’s been struggling physically, ultimately resulting in his Madrid Open decision.
Holger Rune
Rune, presently ranked World No. 27, has been absent from the tour ever since his ACL injury in October 2025. The Dane has made occasional appearances at tournaments to scout his peers ahead of his anticipated return. While he has decided against competing in Madrid and Rome as he continues to recover, he has announced the Hamburg Open (May 16-23) as his tournament of return.
Emma Raducanu
Raducanu has continued her streak of withdrawals. The Brit hasn’t competed since her 6-1, 6-1 third-round loss to Amanda Anisimova at Indian Wells. In February, Raducanu reached the final of the Transylvania Open, where she picked up an illness. At the Qatar Open the following week, she retired mid-match as she continued recovering from her lingering illness. After Indian Wells, she backed out of the Miami Open and the Linz Open with the same complaint.
Emma Navarro
Navarro has also missed successive tournaments on the WTA Tour. After losing her opening match at Indian Wells, she also crashed out of her opener at the WTA 125 in Austin. She then made the difficult decision to pull out of the Miami Open and the Charleston Open, a tournament owned by her father. She cited prolonged health struggles as the reason for her absence. Navarro has since pushed back her return with Stuttgart and Madrid withdrawals.
Sebastian Korda
Korda hasn’t competed since his loss at the Miami Open, where he defeated Carlos Alcaraz before losing to Martin Landaluce in the fourth round. The American, who has battled multiple injuries over the years, pulled out of his first two clay events this year – the Monte-Carlo Masters and the BMW Open in Munich. While he hasn’t disclosed the reason, he has also canceled his Madrid Open appearance.
Taylor Fritz
Fritz won’t be defending his fourth-round run at the Madrid Open this year. The American is tending to lingering right-knee tendinitis, having also suffered an oblique injury earlier this year. Fritz had issued an alert about an extended break during the clay swing as he recovers from the aforementioned injury. He pulled out of the Monte-Carlo Masters and the BMW Open in Munich before withdrawing from the upcoming Masters 1000 event.
MORE: What Did Carlos Alcaraz Say About Madrid Open Abandonment? Spaniard’s Message After Injury
Other players who have decided against competing in the Spanish capital are Frances Tiafoe, Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard, Arthur Cazaux, and Kamil Majchrzak on the men’s side, and Maya Joint, Sonay Kartal, Varvara Gracheva, Barbora Krejčíková, McCartney Kessler, Veronika Kudermetova, and Sara Bejlek on the women’s side.
