Andrea Petkovic (Image Via Getty)
Carlos Alcaraz’s withdrawal from the 2026 French Open changed the mood at the Madrid Open very quickly. The Spanish star was one of the biggest favorites to defend his Roland Garros title and possibly win his third straight clay-court Grand Slam.
But after his injury update, attention inside Spain shifted fast. Former German tennis player Andrea Petkovic gave an honest reaction to that change. Speaking about the Madrid Open atmosphere, she said fans quickly turned their focus from Alcaraz to teenage Spanish talent Rafael Jodar after his big win over Alex de Minaur.Her comments caught attention because they showed how quickly tennis moves on, even from its biggest stars.Alcaraz had played the Barcelona Open shortly after losing to his rival Jannik Sinner at the Monte Carlo Masters. In Madrid, he faced Otto Virtanen and looked uncomfortable during the match after feeling pain in his right wrist and forearm. Even though he won 6-4, 6-2, medical tests later forced him to withdraw from Roland Garros.
Andrea Petkovic explains how Rafael Jodar changed the Madrid Open conversation after Carlos Alcaraz’s exit
With Carlos Alcaraz out, 18-year-old Rafael Jodar became the new talking point for Spanish fans.
The young player shocked many by beating Alex de Minaur 6-3, 6-1 in just 75 minutes. It was his first win against a top-10 player and suddenly the spotlight was on him.Andrea Petkovic spoke about this shift and said tennis fans often move on faster than expected. She said, “I will say, though, people and tennis fans move on really quickly. The moment Rafael Jodar beat Alex de Minaur, it was like Carlos Alcaraz never existed, and the Spanish fans just… it is true.”She continued, “It is a terrible sport. We are terrible people. But this is, unfortunately, the world of capitalism.”Even while dealing with injury disappointment, Alcaraz had another major reason to smile. He won the 2026 Laureus World Sportsman of the Year award after an outstanding 2025 season where he claimed eight titles, including the French Open and US Open.Speaking through ATP Tour, Alcaraz shared how special the moment felt, especially because of his admiration for football legend Lionel Messi.He said, “Three years ago, I received the Laureus Breakthrough Award in Paris and met one of my heroes, Leo Messi, who won the Laureus Sportsman Award. At the time, I dreamt that maybe one day I would join the great Leo Messi on the Sportsman list, and today, I have.”He added, “Messi, Federer, Djokovic, Usain Bolt, and of course the great Rafa Nadal. I am following in the footsteps of giants. That makes this moment so special.”
