Ex-Federer coach slams ATP Tour over Carlos Alcaraz’s withdrawal: When will it stop?

The Madrid Open is facing a wave of high-profile withdrawals, leaving the Masters event without several big names.

Carlos Alcaraz and Novak Djokovic have both decided to skip Madrid, while Jannik Sinner’s participation remains uncertain.

They’re not alone, either, with Taylor Fritz, Arthur Cazaux, Sebastian Korda and Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard also pulling out of the event.

Former Roger Federer coach Paul Annacone thinks he knows why so many players are choosing to miss the tournament this year.

Paul Annacone casts doubt on the Madrid Open’s scheduling

Speaking on the Inside-In Tennis Podcast, Annacone weighed in on how he’d handle Alcaraz and Sinner’s schedules.

“Look, if it were me, I would not have Sinner play Madrid. I would have Sinner rest for Madrid and just have him play Rome. If Carlos is not well, I wouldn’t have him play Madrid either,” he said.

“When they’re that good, they don’t need a ton of reps to feel confident and play great tennis. So for them, it’s about peaking at the majors.”

“Sure, the Masters 1000 are awesome, and they are the cornerstones of the tour. They’re not the cornerstones of the professional tennis game. That would be the majors. And that’s what those guys need to peak for. And the Masters 1000 right behind it.”

The shift to a 12-day schedule hasn’t gone over well with many players, who preferred when it was just a one-week event. And Annacone believes this format change is taking its toll.

“And, unfortunately, now, with the Masters 1000s for their lens, it probably isn’t great to know that they’re that many days at them as well. It’s a 12-day event, and it’s 2 weeks basically.

“And everyone’s argument, I’ve heard it a million times, is well, that’s it should be better for them because there are days off. But I disagree totally because I think that if they’re at the event, they’re at the event.

“That’s still more emotional energy spent to trying to prepare to win. Sure, it’s better physically, but two out of three sets for these guys.

“They can handle two out of three sets for five matches or six matches over a week. I was a big believer. I loved the longer 1000s initially, and now I’m like this too much.”

Every withdrawal from the 2026 Madrid Open

The Spanish tournament has lost two of the top five in Alcaraz and Djokovic, as well as a further two more players from the top 50.

The mass withdrawals have allowed a chance for Roberto Bautista Agut to compete in what will be his final-ever Madrid Open.

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