 "Novak Djokovic lost to Casper Ruud in the Monte Carlo Masters semi-finals. AP")
Novak Djokovic will not play the Madrid Open this week, it was revealed during the tournament’s draw in the Spanish capital on Monday. The World No. 1 and record 24-time Grand Slam champion last featured in Monte Carlo, where he lost in the semi-finals against Casper Ruud .
Media reports said the Serb had pulled out of the tournament. He had earlier pulled out of the ATP Masters 1000 event in Miami in March.
Djokovic has now pulled out of the Madrid Open three times in four years. He is a three-time champion at the two-week clay court event.
The 36-year-old is yet to win a tournament this season and has only played four tournaments so far, having decided to lighten his schedule.
Djokovic has stressed he is “preparing his body” to be ready “especially for Roland Garros, Wimbledon, the Olympics and the US Open, the most important part of the season for me”.
The Serb could appear in Rome at the Italian Open before defending his French Open title from 26 May.
Djokovic attended Real Madrid’s 3-2 win over Barcelona at the Santiago Bernabeu on Sunday and won the Sportsman of the Year accolade at Laureus World Sports Awards in Madrid on Monday.
“Unfortunately, I won’t be able to play in Madrid this year… I’ve planned to play in Rome, so I hope I’ll be able to do that, if I prepare well,” Djokovic told reporters in Madrid.
“This year has been a bit different for me, I haven’t yet found my best level of tennis and I hope I will at Roland Garros.”
Rafael Nadal , meanwhile, will keep his recovery process going when he meets 16-year-old American Darwin Blanch in the first round. Nadal, on the mend from a hip injury, reached the second round of Barcelona last week.
Nadal, 37, is in line to face Australian World No. 1 Alex de Minaur for a second week running if he wins his first round match.
Reigning champion and second seed Carlos Alcaraz said he was hoping to be fully fit to play in Madrid after a forearm problem and will face either Alexander Shevchenko or Arthur Rinderknech in the second round.
Jannik Sinner, second in the world rankings and top seed in Djokovic’s absence, will face either Italian compatriot Lorenzo Sonego or a qualifier in the second round.