Alcaraz to miss French Open, Sabalenka ousts Osaka + Gauff & Swiatek fall sick in Madrid
4/27/20261 hr 9 min
Halfway through the Madrid Open and the biggest story isn’t even in Spain — Carlos Alcaraz is out of Roland Garros with a wrist injury. Joel and Chris get stuck into what it means, from the biggest winners and losers to whether Jannik Sinner’s path to a Career Slam just got a little smoother.
In Madrid, it’s been less clay-court season, more survival mode. A mystery “Madrid lurgy” has taken hold, with Iga Swiatek forced into just her second career retirement and Coco Gauff also struggling on court. Thankfully, Aryna Sabalenka and Naomi Osaka delivered a match of the year contender and sparked the question: is “Claysaka” officially back?
Off court, there’s plenty of drama too. WTA CEO Portia Archer’s sudden exit raises eyebrows, while Italy continues its tennis takeover with the Next Gen Finals heading there. Is it the Sinner effect or is there something more to it? Plus, we react to Taylor Fritz and Morgan Riddle’s split, Camila Giorgi’s return announcement from the wilderness, and ask the big question on everyone’s lips - is it finally time for Venus Williams to hang up her racket?
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Transcript preview
First 90 secondsJoel· Host0:02
Please take your seats quickly, ladies and gentlemen. Thank you. Hello, ladies and gentlemen. Welcome to Tennis Weekly with Joel, Kim, and Chris. On today's tour catch up Alcaraz's injury pulls him out of the French Open. Świątek retires mid-match as sickness sweeps Madrid.
Chris· Host0:15
And Sabalenka comes through the Osaka test.
Joel· Host0:18
[upbeat music] Chris, today is the 27th of April, and we are here to catch up on the week in tennis at Tennis Weekly HQ. On today's episode, we are at the halfway point of the Madrid Open, and of course, there are plenty of talking points to catch up on. The big one, Carlos Alcaraz is out of the French Open due to a wrist injury. We'll certainly be getting into that. In Madrid itself, we've been treated to an absolute belter of a match, a match of the year contender today, Sabalenka versus Osaka. Sabalenka coming out on top. We'll be getting into that as well. Sickness has been running riot in the tournament. Iga Świątek, a rare retirement mid-match. We're gonna be talking about that. Coco Gauff, ill on court as well. Rybakina has been questioning the electronic line calling, and we also have the continuing emergence of Rafael Nadal with a great win in front of the Madrid crowd over