Venus Williams returned to clay singles for the first time since 2021 but left Madrid with a doubles plan in place. The 45-year-old lost her opening match at the Mutua Madrid Open, falling to fellow wild card Kaitlin Quevedo, 6-2, 6-4. The defeat moved Williams to 0-7 on the year.

“All these things take adjustments. I started my practice on clay a couple weeks after Miami,” she told press afterwards. “I haven’t really played on clay in years. But I enjoy the clay, it’s fun. I played against a very inspired opponent today.”

Her stay at the Caja Mágica continues in doubles. Williams will team with Great Britain’s Katie Boulter in a first-time pairing at the event. “She asked me to play, or her coach did. I would like to think she asked me to play, and I was happy to say yes,” laughed Williams.

“She’s got great energy. She’s got a great attitude. She’s a fighter. I’m looking forward to playing with her because I think our energies will really match.”

I was happy to say yes. Venus Williams on playing with Katie Boulter

Boulter is the fifth player set to join forces with Williams in 2026. Williams previously partnered Elina Svitolina (Auckland), Ekaterina Alexandrova (Australian Open), Peyton Stearns (Austin) and Leylah Fernandez (Miami). Williams and Fernandez teamed up to reach the 2025 US Open quarterfinals.

Williams also confirmed she will not play in the Internazionali BNL d’Italia in Rome. “I have other commitments, unfortunately, so I’m really super sad about that, actually,” she said. “My husband is Italian, so we feel sad that we can’t be there. So we would love to keep it going on the clay.”

With Carlos Alcaraz out of action, Rafael Jodar has become the tournament’s most talked-about entrant. The 19-year-old is a native of Madrid and a product of the city’s training system; the Caja Magica may feel like a second home. Jodar has pushed onto the radar this spring, capturing his first title in Marrakech and reaching the semifinals in Barcelona. The latter was his pro debut on Spanish soil, and now he takes centre stage in the capital.

Jodar opens against Tallon De Jong, a 25-year-old from the Netherlands whom he has never faced. De Jong is ranked 109th and has climbed as high as 71st. He uses a clean forehand and a two-handed backhand and, at 5’11, gives up about four inches to Jodar. De Jong’s biggest scalp by ranking was Flavio Cobolli when the Italian was 34th. Jodar sits at 42nd. Clay can level physical differences, but the conditions in Madrid look likely to favour Jodar’s strong serve and forceful ground strokes. Winner: Jodar.

On the women’s side, Alexandra Eala, 20, meets Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova, 34. Pavlyuchenkova turned pro in 2005, the year Eala was born. Both stand about 5’9 and both play with heavy pace. Both have been inconsistently consistent, but Eala’s 2026 form is the stronger: she is 15-10 this season while Pavlyuchenkova is 0-6 so far. Pavlyuchenkova has the experience and has played in Madrid since the Caja Magica opened in 2009, though she is only 16-15 at this venue. The Russian did win two qualifying matches this week, but Eala’s superior main-draw results this year give her the edge. Winner: Eala.

Elsewhere, a 29-year-old Brit and a 30-year-old American will battle with a spot against Jessica Pegula on the line. Neither is near her career-high ranking at the moment, but neither is having a poor season. Boulter is 13-7 this season; Townsend is 10-5 and arrives off a recent final-round run in Austin.

Jannik Sinner arrives in Madrid as the top-ranked player and a heavy favourite to extend a remarkable run at ATP Masters 1000 level. He will compete in the Mutua Madrid Open without one of his principal rivals in the draw as he chases a fifth consecutive Masters 1000 title.

Before the tournament began, Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz met off court at the Laureus World Sports Awards, where Novak Djokovic and Lorenzo Musetti were also in attendance. “I talked with him. It’s a very big pity to not have him here and also Novak, the two biggest stars in tennis,” stated Sinner when meeting with media Tuesday . “So we still hope it’s going to be a good tournament, but of course, not seeing them, it makes a big difference.”

Alcaraz withdrew from his home event with a right arm injury and is currently wearing a brace. He nonetheless accepted the Laureus World Sportsman of the Year award on the night. Aryna Sabalenka earned Laureus World Sportswoman of the Year honors.

Sinner regained the world No. 1 ranking after prevailing in a winner-take-all final at the Rolex Monte-Carlo Masters. That victory ended a near four-year title drought on clay for the Italian, who had fallen to Alcaraz on clay at Rome and Roland Garros last season. The 24-year-old became the first man since Novak Djokovic in 2015 to sweep Indian Wells, Miami and Monte Carlo, and he has set his sights on completing a Career Masters 1000 collection in the Spanish and Italian capitals over the next month.

Sinner has never advanced beyond the quarterfinal stage in Madrid and missed last year’s edition while serving a three-month ban in a settlement with WADA related to two positive tests for Clostebol at the 2024 BNP Paribas Open.

His only two losses in 26 matches this season came to Djokovic in the Australian Open semifinals and to 16th-ranked Jakub Mensik in the quarterfinals of the ATP 500 event in Doha. I’m just trying to figure out how to play on this surface here in Madrid. Jannik Sinner

“I think every different kind of clay court can help me as I am trying to improve as a player. Here, it might be one of the most challenging ones because of certain things and also depending on who you play,” he said. “I have never played very well here, so let’s see how it goes this year. But I’m very happy to be here.”