The Mutua Madrid Open men’s draw is set, with World No. 1 Jannik Sinner standing out as the clear favourite following the withdrawals of Carlos Alcaraz and Novak Djokovic.
Sinner arrives in Madrid on a 17-match winning streak after claiming the Monte Carlo Masters title and reclaiming the top ranking. With both Alcaraz and Djokovic sidelined due to injury, the Italian’s path to another Masters 1000 crown looks more open than ever. He begins his campaign against a qualifier after a first-round bye as he targets a maiden Madrid title and a fifth consecutive Masters 1000 triumph.
Two Americans are among those seen as potential threats in his half of the draw. Tommy Paul, seeded 15th, comes in with strong clay-court form after winning the Houston clay title earlier this season. He opens against either Roberto Bautista Agut or Thiago Tirante and brings experience on the surface, including a junior Roland Garros title in his past. Ben Shelton, the fourth seed, also enters in strong form after winning the BMW Open in Munich, a result that marked the biggest clay-court title by an American man since Andre Agassi in 2002. Shelton could meet Sinner in the semifinals, but first faces a tricky second-round match against either Raphael Collignon or Matteo Berrettini.
In the bottom half, Alexander Zverev leads the charge as the No. 2 seed and starts against either Nuno Borges or Mariano Navone. While his season has been steady, questions remain over his ability to close out big matches after recent setbacks. Daniil Medvedev also sits in his quarter and is looking to rebound after a difficult Monte Carlo loss where he was beaten 6-0, 6-0. Rising American Learner Tien is also part of this section as the 17th seed.
Elsewhere in the draw, Barcelona champion Arthur Fils anchors a competitive quarter alongside sixth seed Lorenzo Musetti, adding further depth to a field that remains stacked despite the absence of two major stars. With the door slightly more open than usual, Madrid is set to become a key battleground for both established contenders and rising names, but Sinner remains firmly at the centre of attention.
