ATP Tour Brief — April 25, 2026
The biggest story on tour today comes from Madrid, where Carlos Alcaraz has withdrawn from both the Rome Masters and the French Open due to a persistent wrist injury. The four-time major champion announced he'll miss Roland Garros for the first time in his professional career, stating "we will come out of it stronger." The news reshapes the entire clay-court landscape and removes one of the tournament's biggest draws just weeks before the season's second Grand Slam. Meanwhile, tennis greats including Rafael Nadal offered support, with Nadal noting that "tennis is in a much better spirit when [Carlos is] around."
On court in Madrid, Jannik Sinner survived a major scare against Benjamin Bonzi, dropping the first set in a tiebreak before recovering for a 6-7(6), 6-1, 6-4 victory. The world No. 1 extended his Masters 1000 winning streak to 23 matches as he pursues a record fifth consecutive Masters title, though he admitted to struggling with Madrid's unique conditions. The day also produced significant upsets, with Croatian qualifier Dino Prizmic toppling No. 4 seed Ben Shelton 6-4, 6-7(4), 7-6(5) in a three-hour thriller for his first career Top 10 win. Spanish teenager Rafael Jodar continued his breakthrough season by dismantling world No. 8 Alex de Minaur 6-3, 6-1 to claim his maiden Top 10 victory, while Arthur Fils advanced after his fitness coach delivered some colorful mid-match motivation.
The combination of Alcaraz's absence and the emergence of young challengers like Jodar and Prizmic signals a shifting dynamic on tour. With Sinner chasing history and a new generation announcing themselves on clay, the Madrid draw suddenly looks wide open heading into the weekend.
Sources: Tennis365 · ATP Tour · Nine · PhilStar