Stan Wawrinka's 2026 season has taken a late-career turn in the Spanish capital. The 41-year-old Swiss, who has been grinding through qualifying events and small-tour 250s this year, is now in the Madrid Open main draw as a lucky loser after a cascading set of withdrawals opened up late spots in the bracket.
Novak Djokovic confirmed his absence on social media. 'Madrid, unfortunately I won't be able to compete @MutuaMadridOpen this year,' the 24-time Grand Slam champion posted. 'I'm continuing my recovery in order to be back soon. Hasta pronto!'
Carlos Alcaraz followed with his own withdrawal, citing the wrist problem he picked up in Monte Carlo. Jack Draper, Holger Rune and nine other top-50 players have since joined the list, creating movement throughout the bracket that has benefitted qualifiers and lucky losers. Wawrinka lost in the final round of qualifying but was promoted into the main event when three direct entries pulled out in succession.
For Wawrinka, this is opportunity on a plate. He won Madrid in his pomp back in 2013 and reached the Monte Carlo final a year later. His first-round opponent is a qualifier, meaning a Friday second-round slot is within reach for the first time since 2023. A deeper run on clay, his best surface in later career, is the kind of box-office story the ATP has been hoping for amid the wave of absentees.
The withdrawals have also forced a rethink on scheduling. Tournament director Feliciano Lopez shuffled the Centre Court card on Sunday night to preserve marquee matchups that still feature in the draw, with Daniil Medvedev's opener moved into the Tuesday day session and Sinner's potential second-round match pencilled for Wednesday evening.
The broader concern is the health of the top men's field. Thirteen top-level players out of a single Masters 1000 is unprecedented for the clay season, and the ATP will quietly review the scheduling corridor between Monte Carlo, Barcelona and Madrid in the coming weeks. For Wawrinka, though, the chaos simply means another swing at his best surface with nothing to lose.