The third combined ATP and WTA 1000-level tournament of 2025 starts on Tuesday at the Madrid Open. Last year’s event featured one of the greatest women’s matches ever in the final. Four-time French Open champion Iga Swiatek saved three championship points before ultimately beating Aryna Sabalenka in a deciding set tiebreak. The 2025 iteration should be another great spectacle, but there have also been some high-profile withdrawals.
Four Players Withdraw From Madrid Open
Which Players Have Withdrawn?
Jannik Sinner was forced to withdraw from the Madrid Open due to being suspended from the ATP Tour. He received a ban from February 9th until May 4th after settling his high-profile doping case with the World Anti-Doping Agency. It is the final tournament the two-time Australian Open champion will miss before he returns on home soil at next month’s Italian Open, an appearance that is guaranteed to generate significant interest.
Barbora Krejcikova was the second player to withdraw from the Madrid Open. Last year’s Wimbledon champion has not played a match in 2024 because of a back injury. Her last appearance was in the 2024 WTA Finals semifinal against Qinwen Zheng. It is uncertain when the Czech is likely to return to action.
Alejandro Tabilo will also miss the tournament because of an injury. The Chilean revealed on Instagram that he suffered bone edema in his left wrist at the Monte Carlo Masters. Tabilo withdrew from the Munich Open and has not recovered in time for the event in Madrid. It is a shame for the 27-year-old since he had momentum after a stunning win against Novak Djokovic in Monte Carlo.
Zhang Zhizhen was the fourth player to withdraw from the Madrid Open. He last featured on the ATP Tour in the opening round of the BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells, which took place over a month ago. The Chinese player has not provided information about his absence, creating uncertainty around it.
Who Replaced Those Players in the Draw?
Christopher O’Connell took Sinner’s place at the Madrid Open. The Australian is a solid player across all surfaces and possesses a playing style that can do damage on clay. He has a chance to ignite his season with a good run at the Masters 1000 tournament in Spain. Katie Volynets replaced Krejcikova. The 23-year-old possesses one of the best attitudes in the sport and enjoys playing on clay, having won a WTA 125 tournament in Makarska during the second week of the 2024 French Open.
Cameron Norrie benefited from Tabilo’s withdrawal from the Madrid Open. The Briton’s last appearance was at the Barcelona Open. He qualified for the main draw but lost in the opening round to the eventual semifinalist Karen Khachanov. Alexander Bublik was the final player to enter the main draw in Madrid, in place of Zhang. Although clay has not been the Kazakhstani’s best surface, his game can be dangerous anywhere when it clicks.
Main Photo Credit: Mike Frey-Imagn Images
