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The total number of players to withdraw from the 2026 Barcelona Open has climbed to seven after Jack Draper’s mid-match retirement due to injury.

This year’s Barcelona Open is the 73rd edition of the prestigious clay-court tournament staged at the Real Club de Tenis Barcelona.

Main draw action at the ATP 500 tournament began on Monday 13 April, and it will conclude with the final on Sunday 19 April.

Holger Rune is the reigning champion, having overcome Carlos Alcaraz in the 2025 title match to claim his maiden crown in Barcelona.

The Dane is not defending his title, though, as he is working his way towards a return to action having suffered an Achilles injury in October.

The main draw at the Barcelona Open features 32 players, with eight seeds, and it is played over five rounds with no first round byes.

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Jack Draper injury was ‘getting worse and worse’ with retirement ‘the right call’

Jannik Sinner sent messages by Carlos Alcaraz and Novak Djokovic after Monte Carlo Masters triumph

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2026 Barcelona Open withdrawals/retirements

Five players withdrew before the Barcelona Open draw was made on Saturday: Felix Auger-Aliassime, Casper Ruud, Learner Tien, Alejandro Davidovich Fokina and Ugo Humbert.

Valentin Vacherot reached the semi-finals at the Monte Carlo Masters — his home event — last week, losing to Carlos Alcaraz on Saturday.

The Monegasque was in the Barcelona draw and seeded sixth, but he pulled out before his opening match. He was replaced by lucky loser Marco Trungelliti.

2026 Barcelona Open pre-tournament/pre-match withdrawals

• Felix Auger-Aliassime (world No 5) – replaced by Camilo Ugo Carabelli
• Casper Ruud (world No 12) – replaced by Reilly Opelka
• Valentin Vacherot (world No 17) – replaced by Marco Trungelliti
• Learner Tien (world No 22) – replaced by Terence Atmane
• Alejandro Davidovich Fokina (world No 23) – replaced by Sebastian Baez
• Ugo Humbert (world No 34) – replaced by Mariano Navone

Draper, the No 8 seed in Barcelona, was trailing world No 29 Tomas Martin Etcheverry 6-3, 3-6, 1-4 in his first round match on Monday when he retired.

The 24-year-old, Brit, who returned to the tour in February following five months out due to a bone stress issue in his left arm, was struggling with a knee injury in Barcelona.

The former world No 4, who is currently ranked 28th, was playing his first match since his defeat to Reilly Opelka in the second round of the Miami Open last month.

READ NEXT: Carlos Alcaraz gets some candid advice from former British No 1 after Jannik Sinner defeat

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Netflix has released a trailer for a new documentary focused on Rafa Nadal which will release during the French Open.

The American streaming service has a long history of producing sport documentaries and Nadal, a 22-time Grand Slam winner, seems a very apt subject to portray.

But Nadal’s career was not so straightforward with arguably no top level player suffering as many injuries as the Spaniard and that appears to be the focus of the documentary.

In the trailer, which was released on Netflix’s social media accounts, Nadal is seen playing on court but also in the treatment room and spoke of his desire to keep playing.

“People think I was a winner,” he said in the trailer. “I am not a winner. I am a competitor.”

“What always motivated me is the desire to keep fighting.

“You can’t be a great champion if you don’t do things that are truly difficult.”

 

His relentless grit is his greatest legacy. This is the definitive documentary on an all-time great: Rafa Nadal.

Rafa premieres May 29. pic.twitter.com/Hz8aP8TEYW

— Netflix (@netflix) April 13, 2026

It will release on May 29, a week into the French Open, and is directed by Emmy Award winner and Oscar nominee Zach Heinzerling.

A description from Netflix reads:

Behind the titles, the records, and the victories, there is a story that has never been told. Today, Netflix unveiled the release date, teaser, and first-look images of Rafa, a documentary series about Rafael Nadal, which will premiere on Netflix on May 29. The series offers never-before-seen archival footage and exclusive access to the tennis champion, his family, and his inner circle during Nadal’s final year on the ATP Tour in 2024. Over four episodes, the series provides an intimate and deeply human portrait of one of the greatest legends in sport.

Rafa retraces Nadal’s remarkable journey with cinematic scope, combining testimonies from those who know him best—on and off the court—with unseen moments that reveal what lies behind the legend. From his beginnings at just three years old to his return to competition in 2024, the documentary not only shows the evolution of a champion, but also the physical and emotional toll that has shaped his path, as he faces time and again Nadal’s most constant rival: his own body. Rafa spotlights a candid and vulnerable superstar, and each episode goes beyond tennis to explore the life, story, and legacy of an unparalleled icon.

The series also features some of the most prominent figures in world tennis, including Roger Federer, Novak Djokovic and John McEnroe, as well as testimonies from his team, family, and close circle, offering a comprehensive and unprecedented look at Nadal, his impact on the sport, and his influence beyond competition.

 

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Carlos Alcaraz and Novak Djokovic have sent congratulatory messages to Jannik Sinner after the Italian’s triumph at the 2026 Monte Carlo Masters.

Sinner overcame Alcaraz 7-6(5), 6-3 in the championship match at the Monte Carlo Masters on Sunday to win the prestigious event for the first time.

The 24-year-old’s victory — which was his maiden clay-court Masters 1000 title — saw him overtake Alcaraz to return to world No 1.

Having also won in Indian Wells and Miami to complete the Sunshine Double last month, Sinner became just the second man to win the first three Masters events in a season after Djokovic in 2015.

Sinner has won four consecutive Masters 1000 titles — a run that started with him winning the 2025 Paris Masters.

In an Instagram post after his victory Sinner — who lives in Monaco — wrote: “Grazie!!!! It’s like a dream.”

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Alcaraz commented “Well deserved Jannik” on Sinner’s post.

Djokovic, who did not compete in Monte Carlo, wrote: “Molto forte (very strong). Bravo Jannik.”

Sinner is only the second Italian to lift the Monte Carlo title in the Open Era after Fabio Fognini.

Fognini, a former world No 9 who retired after Wimbledon last year, congratulated his compatriot in a humorous message.

“It was time…. At least you won a tournament like mine. BRAVO,” wrote Fognini.

What did Sinner say after his Monte Carlo triumph?

After the final at the Monte Carlo Country Club, Sinner said: “It was a good match from him and also from my side.

“Small things where he is gonna improve, for sure, for the next match against me, and I have to be ready for that. But now I also want to enjoy this moment.”

“It was a very strange match, because it was very windy. The conditions were not warm, which, you know, the ball is less bouncy that [makes it] a little bit easier to play tennis in general.

“I think I was serving well in the important moments in the first set. In the tiebreak, I was very, very accurate. And in the second set was up and down a little bit from both [of us].

“We both were slightly tired, because, you know, at the end of the tournament it’s normal that you feel this way. A lot of tension for both of us.

READ NEXT: Carlos Alcaraz makes a stark confession after he is beaten by Jannik Sinner to lose world No 1 ranking

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Jack Draper’s injury woes have struck once again as he was forced to throw in the towel during his first-round match at the Barcelona Open.

Playing for the first time after a shock defeat to Reilly Opelka in his opening match at the Miami Open, Draper was seeded eighth for the ATP 500 event and earned a clash against the unseeded Tomas Martin Etcheverry.

There was not much between the two players in terms of their official positions in the ATP Rankings as the Brit is currently at No 28 with Etcheverry one place behind him.

The opening set was a real mixed bag in terms of serve as there were five breaks in total with Draper shading it 3-2 as he took the set 6-4 before the Argentine took it to a decider with a single break in game two of the second set.

Draper, though, was clearly struggling during that second set as “the knee just went” and, although he battled on until game six of the decider, he eventually quit with Etcheverry leading 4-6, 6-3, 4-1 with an hour and 46 minutes on the clock.

During Tennis TV’s commentator Naomi Cavaday told viewers: “Jack taking some time to think about it during the changeover and deciding that he couldn’t play anymore. I think it’s the right call.
“The knee just went very early in the second set, and he’s been pulling up, it’s just been getting worse and worse.”

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Barry Cowan added: “You really feel for him, he just can’t catch a break at the moment. We first noticed it at 2-0, 30-0 [in the second set]. I think it’s the right decision. Above all, you have to take care of your body. It just didn’t seem to make sense if it seemed to be getting worse.”

The Story So Far In 2026

It is another massive setback for the 24-year-old as he has played only three ATP Tour events so far this campaign as he started his season late due to a shoulder injury that has troubled him since Wimbledon last year.

After missing the Australian Open, he made his first appearance at the Dubai Tennis Championships and lost in the round of 16 before his Indian Wells Open title defence came to an end in the quarter-final.

That defeat to Daniil Medvedev resulted in a drop out of the top 20 of the ATP Rankings and he slumped further after losing in the second round of the Miami Open.

Draper didn’t have any points to defend in Barcelona so he is unlikely to suffer a massive drop as a result of his first-round exit.

His next event is due to be the ATP Masters 1000 Madrid Open, which gets underway next week, but it remains to be seen if he will feature.

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The No 1 spot in the ATP Rankings changed hands for the first time in five months after the Monte Carlo Masters with Jannik Sinner overtaking Carlos Alcaraz, but his stay could be short-lived.

Alcaraz spent 22 consecutive weeks at No 1 as he replaced his Italian rival at the top on 10 November to take his overall tally to 66, but Sinner’s title run in the Principality has seen him usurp the Spaniard.

The four-time Grand Slam winner didn’t have any points to defend at the clay-court ATP 1000 title while Alcaraz was the defending champion so there was a big points swing after the tournament.

In the updated ATP Rankings, Sinner sits on 13,350 points with the seven-time Grand Slam winner on 13,240 ahead of the Barcelona Open.

“I’m pleased, but I won’t change what I said: Carlos and I are very close, and that can change from one week to the next,” Sinner said during his post-Monte Carlo Masters press conference.

“I’d be lying if I said I’m not happy, but honestly, the most important thing is to prepare well for the next tournaments, have the right mindset, and do the right things.

“And then, as we move forward, there will be the Slams: Paris and London remain the goals. We’ll see about the ranking after those tournaments.”

What’s To Come After Monte Carlo…

Sinner is right, the top spot could change again next week as Alcaraz will be in action in Spain while the Italian won’t feature on the ATP Tour.

Alcaraz finished runner-up at ATP 500 tournament last year so he will drop 330 points, while Sinner doesn’t have any points to defend this week as he was still serving his three-month ban 12 months ago.

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That puts Alcaraz on 12,910 with the lead growing to 440 points, but that means there is only one way the Spaniard can return to the top of the ATP Rankings next Monday and that is by winning the Barcelona Open as that is worth 500 points.

The battle will then move to the Madrid Open and Alcaraz could start the tournament at No 1 or with a big deficit if he loses early in Barcelona.

But Alcaraz certainly faces a battle in the longer term to remain top of the rankings as he has another 1,000 points to defend at the Italian Open while Sinner will drop 650 points

At Roland Garros the Spaniard will defend 2,000 points following his five-set win over his rival last year and Sinner will drop 1,300 points.

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Carlos Alcaraz has been handed some candid advice on the area he needs to improve on after he surrendered the world No 1 ranking to Jannik Sinner by losing the Monte Carlo Masters final.

Alcaraz was beaten 7-6(5), 6-4 by an impressive Sinner, who dealt with challenging windy conditions in Monte Carlo to add another APT Masters 1000 title to his collection, as he won his fourth successive tournament at this level.

The latest win against Alcaraz was enough for Sinner to reclaim the world No 1 ranking, with Rusedski suggesting there are two clear areas the Spaniard can improve upon as he looks to bounce back in his compelling battle with the Italian.

Alcaraz still holds a 10-7 winning record in his battles against Sinner, but it is the new top ranked player who has all the moments on his side after he won the Indian Wells and Miami Open ‘Sunshine Double’ last month, before backing it up with a big win on clay.

Rusedksi, who has just started coaching rising French star Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard, believes Alcaraz needs to work on his backhand after Sinner took advantage to lift the Monte Carlo title for the first time.

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“Carlos was struggling on the backhand wing and if you have a side that’s slightly weake, Sinner’s gonna take advantage,” said Rusedski, on the latest episode of his podcast that will be released on Monday.

“He’s got to get that focus a little bit better, get the backhand firing a little bit more. And also he just doesn’t seem quite as sharp at the moment that he has been at the beginning of year.

“There was such a focus because the split with (former coach) Juan Carlos Ferrero and he went on a tear. I think 16 matches in a row and then he’s had a little bit of dip since there and hasn’t been the same player.

“I was in Monte Carlo last week and Sinner turned to practice on the Thursday before the event, but Carlos only arrived on that Saturday. You could say Jannik’s preparation was a little better than Alcaraz’s.

“Does he need more time off? Does he need to play more? That’s where he’s got to find the balance for himself with his team.”

Alcaraz picked up an injury when he played the Monte Carlo Masters and Barcelona Open in back-to-back weeks last year, but he has opted to repeat that schedule this season.

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Rusedski believes the huge appearance fee he will be receiving to play in Barcelona will ensure he plays, as he suggests the lure of appearing in front of his home fans will also be hard to resist.

“He will want to play in Spain,” he added. “I’m sure he’s got a massive guarantee to play in Barcelona as well. He’s the premier name there and not only in Spain, but globally. So this is where he’s got to find that sort of hunger.

“Sometimes people like to play matches more than they like to practice and this is where the physio works over time. This is where the coach balances the practices out. He’s not far away.

“The problem with Sinner and Alcácer is when they lose a match, we all go, my God, what’s happening? What’s the next thing going to go on?

“For me, the concerning part was in Miami when he’s complaining about being there, getting a little bit sick of tennis and all those comments he had on the sidelines.

“So he’s got to find that freshness and that hunger because it looks like sinners like Novak Djokovic 2.0 right now. It’s just, you never get a drop in level with Jannick. I mean, he has just been phenomenal the last few weeks.”

READ NEXT: Juan Carlos Ferrero reveals if he had contact with Jannik Sinner about coaching Italian

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Jannik Sinner has been crowned as the 2026 Monte Carlo Masters champion after a thrilling win against Carlos Alcaraz, with the victory giving him the world No 1 ranking once again.

Sinner came into the first clay court ATP Masters 1000 event of the season knowing a victory would take him back to the top of the rankings and he get over the winning line with an edgy 7-6(5), 6-3 win against his great rival.

There was some great tennis mixed in with plenty of mistakes from the best two players in the world, with the tension of facing each other when so much was on the line pushing both players out of their comfort zone.

Alcaraz beat Sinner in an epic French Open final last year and while this latest meeting on clay was not quite sublime from a quality perspective, it was

“Hard court, grass, clay courts… the same,” said Alcaraz, as he greeted Sinner at the net. He backed up those words with a final note of congratulations as he added: “Great job.”

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The head-to-head record between these two great champions is now 10-7 in favour of Alcaraz, but Sinner appears to have all the momentum right now as he backed up his wins in the Indian Wells and Miami Open tournaments last month win a fine win on clay.

The win secured Sinner a bumper €974,370 in prize money, with Alcaraz taking home €532,120 after he came up short of defending his title in Monte Carlo.

“I don’t know where to start,” said Sinner. “The result is amazing.Getting back to No 1 means a lot to me, but the ranking is secondary.

“I am happy to win one big trophy on this surface that I haven’t done before. It means a lot to me.

“I felt close on the return games and I just tried to stay there mentally. I just kept pushing, kept pushing. I felt a bit tired, but having this trophy now means a lot to me.”

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The win sees Sinner return to the top of the ATP Rankings and he also become just the second player born since the inaugural ATP Tour season in 1990 to defeat world No 1 in finals on multiple surfaces after this win against Alcaraz.

He has also become just the second player to win Indian Wells, Miami and Monte Carlo in a season after Novak Djokovic in 2015 and will fancy his chance of adding more clay court tiles to his record after this success.

READ NEXT: Monte Carlo Masters: Carlos Alcaraz asked what he would ‘steal’ from Jannik Sinner’s game

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Novak Djokovic has yet to hit a ball in the clay court season, but he has already seen his hopes of getting a lofty seeding at the French Open get a big boost.

The 24-time Grand Slam-winning legend has been selective in his tournament appearances at the back end of his career, after openly admitting he lacks the motivation to play regularly at events he has won time and again during his incredible career.

So he is opting to skip plenty of regular ATP Tour events, with his move to miss this week’s Monte Carlo Masters not coming as a big surprise.

The challenge for Djokovic is playing enough matches to ensure has the ranking points required to hang on to his fourth place in the ATP Rankings, but he is getting help in that mission from some of his faltering rivals.

Staying in the top four of the rankings is vital to Djokovic as that will ensure he doesn’t need to play French Open champion Carlos Alcaraz or last year’s runner-up, Jannik Sinner, until the final at Roland Garros.

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Former British No 1 Greg Rusedski gave his view on Djokovic’s ambitions, as he suggested holding onto that top four ranking is crucial to his hopes of success in major tournaments.

“It’s not about ranking points. It’s about where he’s seeded. He does need points to be in the top four,” said<a href=”https://www.youtube.com/@offcourtwithgreg”> Rusedski on the latest edition of his podcast</a>

“To win a major these days, you gotta usually go through Alcaraz and Sinner. Then imagine if he drops out of the top four, he might have to play [Alexander] Zverev.

“So for him, the important thing is keeping that top four ranking to give himself a shot at Wimbledon.”

While Djokovic’s run to the Australian Open final in January boosted his ranking and fired him up to No 3 in the ATP list, Alexander Zverev has moved ahead of him after he opted to miss the Miami Open event last month.

The Serbian could have seen his No 4 position threatened during the Miami Open and Monte Carlo Masters, but the players looking to claim that prized top four seeing for the second Grand Slam of the year.

Felix Auger-Aliassime is set to move up to No 5 in the ATP Rankings on Monday, but the Canadian was well beaten by Sinner in Monte Carlo and has now pulled out of the Barcelona Open next week due to fitness concerns.

Italian Lorenzo Musetti is a big threat on clay courts, but he has been struggling to get back to his best after being forced to pull out of his Australian Open quarter-final against Djokovic and his ranking is on the slide.

Casper Ruud was another player who could have been looking to make up ground in the rankings on his favoured surface, but the Norwegian appeared to pick up a serious injury that may hamper his defence of the Madrid Open title last this month.

Djokovic still has a big rankings lead over Ben Shelton, Alex de Minaur and Taylor Fritz, with the return to form of Daniil Medvedev halted by his shocking 6-0, 6-0 defeat against Matteo Berrettini in Monte Carlo.

So Djokovic looks to be well placed to remain in the top four of the ATP Rankings heading into the French Open and Wimbledon, which will be his next two big targets.

READ NEXT: Novak Djokovic sent a rankings warning by former British No 1 after latest withdrawal

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Alex Eala’s big breakthrough in tennis came with a win against Iga Swiatek in the 2025 Miami Open and now the pair have been drawn together by a common cause.

Eala’s win against Swiatek in Florida sparked a huge surge of interest in the Filipina star, as she attracted huge interest from fans in her homeland that has continued over the last 12 months.

Every Eala appearance, even on a practice court, has attracted huge audiences that have quickly established the 20-year-old as one of the biggest stars in tennis.

A big challenge for Swiatek has been living up to the hype around her and she has handled the inflated expectations impressively, with her charm and grace both when she meets fans and speaks to the media adding to her appeal.

“I recognize that I’m also blessed to be living my life, or the life that I live,” said Eala, as she spoke to the media in Miami last month.

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“Of course, I’ve earned it. I’ve definitely earned it. I’ve put in the work. That’s not to be questioned.

“Then again, I think it’s so important to be grateful for what you have. I’ve witnessed poverty in surroundings, in my surroundings. I don’t take for granted anything, especially family and my team and just the opportunities I’m able to have. So that’s why I make it a point to always be grateful.”

Rising into the top 30 of the WTA Rankings in double quick time was a fine achievement, but taking the next step up to challenging the players challenging for Grand Slam titles consistently was always likely to be a huge step.

Practicing with the best players in the game will be a massive boost to Eala’s hopes of taking that big step forward and she has spent plenty of time hitting with Swiatek in recent weeks.

Eala has developed her game at Rafael Nadal’s Academy in Mallorca and she has been joined at that elite training base by Swiatek in recent weeks.

The four-time French Open champion has been working on coach with her new coach Francisco Roig, who has called in the advice of one of his former players to give her some fresh advice.

Rafael Nadal’s presence on court with Swiatek has been a big talking point in tennis, as two of the most successful clay court players of all-time have been working together as the former world No 1’s share secrets that could kick-start the career of a Polish player who has lost her way.

Swiatek is the reigning Wimbledon champion, but her form aside from that stunning win on grass last summer has been stuttering and she is heading into the clay court season looking to rebuild a shattered aura.

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Swiatek and Eala have been hitting together at the Nadal Academy and they have also been seen on court together in Stuttgart ahead of their opening matches in that high-profile WTA 500 tournament.

Having allies on tour can be vital for a rising star like Eala to feel she belongs with the best and if she can get close to Swiatek in their practice hits, it will give her hope that she can take on the best when it matters most.

Eala’s win over Swiatek in Miami last year was a big moment for both players as it fired the starting gun on one career and highlighted a decline in a serial winner.

Now the two are working in tandem as they look to reach their peak over the course of the clay court season.

READ NEXT: WTA Stuttgart draw: Elena Rybakina, Iga Swiatek & Alex Eala in same half as Coco Gauff learns fate

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Alexander Zverev has now lost eight consecutive matches against Jannik Sinner and if his mid-match comments were not an indicator of the challenge he faces both on court and mentally, then his post-match reaction painted a clearer picture.

At the start of the 2024 season, Zverev held a 4-1 advantage in his head-to-head rivalry with the Italian, but his win in the round of 16 at the 2023 US Open remains the last time he tasted success against Sinner.

After seven wins in a row on hard courts, Sinner showed that he can also do it on clay as he brushed the German aside in the semi-finals of the Monte Carlo Masters.

While trailing 1-4 in the opening set, Zverev made a blunt comment about playing against the world No 2 as he was overheard telling his father and coach, Alexander Zverev Senior, “I don’t know how to play him (Sinner).”

The world No 3 never recovered from that poor start and the four-time Grand Slam winner eventually secured a 6-1, 6-4 win to set up a final clash against top seed and defending champion Carlos Alcaraz.

During the post-match press conference, a downbeat Zverev once again emphasised the challenges he faces when taking on Sinner.

“If you don’t play at your highest level against Jannik, you lose very quickly,” he is quoted as saying by Eurosport Germany. “I might not have played that well in Indian Wells, and here I was perhaps a little tired.

“But if you’re not in top form, you have no chance against Jannik, because it’s like playing against a wall. He doesn’t let anything through.”

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Zverev has won only two sets against Sinner in their last eight matches, with the last one coming in the Vienna final in 2025 as the Italian has won five consecutive matches in straight sets.

“In Miami it was a much more even match. Yes, I lost in two sets, but the second set could have gone in my favour – I felt I had more chances than him in the second set,” the three-time Grand Slam finalist said. “Here, on the other hand, I didn’t have many chances, so that’s the main difference.”

The 28-year-old added: “Today I won five games… The weaknesses were on my side, certainly not his.”

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