2026 Italian Open Hit by 13 Withdrawals: Alcaraz, Fritz Out

The clay-court swing to the Internazionali BNL d'Italia has hit a significant snag. With the women’s field set to commence on May 5 and the men’s draw following on May 6, tournament organizers are scrambling to recalibrate following 13 combined player withdrawals. The absence of top-tier talent fundamentally alters the projected court dynamics, particularly as the tour transitions into the critical mid-season block.

Headlining the list of absentees are Carlos Alcaraz, Taylor Fritz, and Jack Draper. Each player has cited injury concerns, leaving a massive vacuum in the ATP main draw, which was originally structured for 96 players including 79 direct entrants, 12 qualifiers, and 5 wildcards. On the WTA side, Marketa Vondrousova—who has not stepped onto a competitive match court since January—remains the most notable withdrawal, further thinning a draw that already faced immense pressure to maintain its high-stakes competitive standard.

The Tactical Vacuum in the Draw Structure

When you pull 13 names out of a Masters-level draw, you aren't just losing big-ticket items; you are disrupting the delicate balance of the seeds and the projected path to the quarterfinals. The reliance on the remaining field to fill the gaps left by the likes of Alcaraz and Fritz changes how the younger generation and the qualifiers approach their opening rounds. There is less margin for error when the bracket integrity is compromised by these late-stage personnel shifts.

We are watching a scenario where the physical toll of the modern circuit is stripping the tournament of its elite depth. Whether it is the sliding mechanics required on the red dirt or the sheer volume of high-intensity rallies, these withdrawals suggest that the current calendar is demanding a toll that even the most prepared athletes struggle to pay. The shift in momentum for those who remain in Rome will be determined by who can manage their load while capitalizing on an opened-up path to the later stages of the tournament.