No Carlos Alcaraz, no Novak Djokovic — Coco Gauff’s former coach reveals who could rise in Madrid
Predicting outcomes at the Madrid Open has always been a bit of a challenge. The 2026 tournament, though, might be the hardest one yet to get a read on.
Photo by Darrian Traynor/Getty Images Predicting outcomes at the Madrid Open has always been a bit of a challenge. The 2026 tournament, though, might be the hardest one yet to get a read on. With Carlos Alcaraz pulling out due to injury and Novak Djokovic also ruling himself out, it seems like Jannik Sinner’s title to lose—if he decides to play.
But Sinner hasn’t confirmed whether he’ll be there yet, and that adds another layer of uncertainty to an already unpredictable event. Brad Gilbert has taken a look at the field and tried to make sense of who might be in the best position to take advantage of what could end up being a wide-open draw. Photo by IZHAR KHAN / AFP via Getty Images Brad Gilbert backs an outsider at Madrid Open with Carlos Alcaraz absent The former British tennis star opened by noting: “Now, you’re also forgetting about altitude.
You got about 2,200 feet. And sometimes, if the weather gets warm there, that court will play unbelievably fast. “So it actually gives a chance now to a serve bot, or gives a chance to, you know, like a Rublev.
Somebody that’s a big hitter. ” Gilbert then pointed out just how important the absence of both Novak Djokovic and Sinner is. “So, I think more than anything, we know when Alcaraz and Sinner are both in the tournament, they win the tournament.