Jannik Sinner is on a tear right now. After losing last year’s French Open final to Carlos Alcaraz, Sinner bounced back by winning his first Monte Carlo Masters. That win gave him four Masters titles in a row. He looked like the man to beat heading into Madrid. Unfortunately, a sudden setback might stall that momentum.

According to La Gazzetta dello Sport, Sinner felt shoulder discomfort during his second practice in Madrid. While the severity is unclear, he’ll be hoping it’s minor given his busy schedule. Adding to the pressure, his newly revealed draw is pretty tough, pitting him against highly ranked players early on.

As the top seed, Sinner gets a first-round bye and starts his tournament in the Round of 64 against a qualifier. If he advances, he’ll likely face Gabriel Diallo in the third round. The competition could heat up for the 24-year-old in the fourth round, as Tommy Paul or Cameron Norrie can be his opponents.

If Sinner reaches the quarterfinals, he could face Alex de Minaur or Andrey Rublev. He could potentially face youngsters Rafael Jodar and Joao Fonseca in the last 8. Having never made it past the quarterfinals in Madrid, the World No. 1 will be aiming to finally surpass the stage this year.

The semifinals could be even tougher. Sinner might face Ben Shelton, Lorenzo Musetti, or Arthur Fils. Jiri Lehecka and Valentin Vacherot are also possible opponents.

Shelton and Fils, in particular, have a lot of momentum right now. Sheldon just clinched the title in Munich, while Fils won in Barcelona. Both guys could push Sinner to his limits, and the Italian must play his best tennis to beat them.

A tough opponent awaits Sinner if he reaches the final. He could play Alexander Zverev, Daniil Medvedev, or defending champion Casper Ruud. Felix Auger-Aliassime and Alexander Bublik are also threats. All these players have the potential to win the title in Madrid, and it will be interesting to see how Sinner will tackle any of them in the championship match.

Several big stars have already pulled out of the Madrid Masters. Organizers are crossing their fingers right now. They want Sinner to stay healthy and stay in the tournament.

Carlos Alcaraz, Novak Djokovic, and many more set to miss the Madrid Open

Madrid fans are devastated that local hero Carlos Alcaraz is out. He withdrew after injuring his wrist against Otto Virtanen in Barcelona. The setback appears to be serious, and the Spaniard might even miss the Rome Masters next month.

Novak Djokovic also pulled out of the Madrid Open. The veteran is yet to recover from the right shoulder injury that he had picked up at the Indian Wells Masters. He has been off the tour for over a month and will be hoping to return to the court quickly, especially with the French Open being on the horizon.

Additionally, American counterparts Taylor Fritz and Frances Tiafoe will be missing the tournament. While Fritz has pulled out due to the recurring issues with his knee, Tiafoe hasn’t shared any reason behind his sudden withdrawal so far.

On the other hand, Emma Raducanu, Emma Navarro, and Maya Joint will be the notable absentees from the women’s side. Raducanu is yet to fully recover from the viral illness that she had picked up in February. Meanwhile, Navarro is dealing with undisclosed health issues. Finally, Joint has been on the sidelines since the Indian Wells Open due to a back injury and will continue to be out of action as a result.

It is safe to say that Sinner’s withdrawal would see the tournament’s stocks plummet drastically. Will the Italian be able to comfortably participate in the Madrid Masters, or will his body have other plans?