Carlos Alcaraz won’t return to defend his French Open title in 2026, due to his wrist injury.
Alcaraz had already withdrawn from the Barcelona Open and Madrid Open, his two home tournaments.
The announcement of his French Open withdrawal on Friday deflated the crowds in Madrid, as Spain’s greatest star suffered one of the biggest setbacks of his young career.
How worried are you about Carlos Alcaraz’s injury?
Carlos Alcaraz will miss Rome and Roland Garros…
But they were soon recharged by another Spaniard, and another Rafael, at that…
Rafael Jodar saves Spanish tennis on day of Carlos Alcaraz’s withdrawal
Spanish players are good on clay.
Whether it be Rafael Nadal or Alcaraz, players from Spain know their way around the red dirt.
If you need any evidence, look at the number of Spanish players who have won Roland Garros since the turn of the Century!
French Open-winning nationalities since 2000 (men’s singles)
| Rank | Country | Titles | Champions |
| 1 | Spain | 18 | Albert Costa, Juan Carlos Ferrero, Rafael Nadal, Carlos Alcaraz |
| 2 | Serbia | 3 | Novak Djokovic |
| T-3 | Switzerland | 2 | Roger Federer, Stan Wawrinka |
| T-3 | Brazil | 2 | Gustavo Kuerten |
| 5 | Argentina | 1 | Gaston Gaudio |
With Alcaraz out of the French Open, you would expect that number to remain at 18, although that may not be the case.
And that’s thanks to one man, Rafael Jodar.
The 19-year-old has been a revelation on clay in 2026, winning 10 of his 11 matches on the surface.
Jodar won his first ATP title in Morocco before reaching the semi-finals of his home Barcelona Open.
Now, in Madrid, Jodar has beaten Jesper De Jong and top-10 star Alex de Minaur on his way to the third round.
If his recent performances are anything to go by, Jodar isn’t the future of Spanish tennis, but the present.
Ranked outside the top 100 at the beginning of the year, Jodar is now closing in on a spot in the top 30.
The Spaniard is making a rapid charge towards the ATP Tour’s elite, just in time for Roland Garros.
Of course, Jodar won’t be a favourite to win the French Open, but with Alcaraz out, Spanish tennis fans won’t have to look far for another star to cheer on.
Whether Jodar can be the latest player in the Spanish pipeline to lift the trophy on Court Philippe Chatrier remains to be seen, but you certainly won’t want to miss his French Open debut next month.
What’s next for Rafael Jodar in Madrid?
Looking to continue his impressive winning run, Jodar will play another exciting youngster, Joao Fonseca, in the third round.
The Brazilian hasn’t played a match yet in Madrid, as Fonseca’s second-round opponent, Marin Cilic, withdrew due to food poisoning.
Fonseca and Jodar, both 19, are being tipped for greatness on the ATP Tour, regardless of who wins their third-round match in Madrid.
Still, neither player will want to lose such a highly anticipated match.
Fonseca and Jodar’s third-round clash will take place on Sunday, April 26.
How have the seven Spanish players performed at the 2026 Madrid Open?
Seven Spanish players entered the 2026 Madrid Open men’s singles draw.
Only two of those seven players fell at the first hurdle.
Spanish players to lose in Madrid Open 1R
- Roberto Bautista Agut [LOSS] vs Thiago Agustin Tirante
- Martin Landaluce [LOSS] vs Adam Walton
Two more Spaniards lost in the second round.
Spanish players to lose in Madrid Open 2R
- Pablo Carreno Busta [LOSS] vs Alejandro Davidovich Fokina
- Jaume Munar [LOSS] vs Casper Ruud
That leaves three Spanish players in the draw.
Spanish players still competing in the Madrid Open
- Rafael Jodar 3R vs Joao Fonseca
- Daniel Merida 2R vs Corentin Moutet
- Alejandro Davidovich Fokina 3R vs Casper Ruud
Only time will tell how far Jodar, Daniel Merida, and Alejandro Davidovich Fokina can go in Madrid.
