World number one Jannik Sinner has expressed his disappointment over the withdrawal of Novak Djokovic and Carlos Alcaraz from the Madrid Open, calling it “a very big pity” for the tournament. Both players pulled out on Friday, leaving Sinner as the heavy favourite to win the title at the Caja Magica.
Djokovic withdrew citing a lingering injury, while Alcaraz pulled out with a wrist problem picked up in Barcelona last week. Sinner, who has not lost a match since February and is on a 17-match winning streak, admitted that missing the two biggest stars makes a significant difference. “It’s tough to swallow for a tournament,” he said.
The Italian, who regained the world number one ranking after winning the Monte Carlo Masters, could become the first man to win five consecutive Masters 1000 titles. However, he acknowledged the challenge ahead, having never progressed beyond the quarter-finals in Madrid. “I always go day by day,” he said. “There are tough challenges in front of me.”
Sinner also revealed he spoke with Alcaraz at the Laureus World Sports Awards but did not discuss his injury, calling it private. He hopes Alcaraz recovers soon. Despite the absences, Sinner is focused on performing well while keeping an eye on the French Open. “The plan is obviously to play and try to perform in the best possible way,” he added.
