Gael Monfils Withdraws from Madrid Open Due to Illness

Madrid, Spain – Gael Monfils has withdrawn from the Mutua Madrid Open due to illness, allowing defending champion Andrey Rublev to advance to the third round without playing. The withdrawal came on Friday, just days after Monfils secured a three-set victory in the opening round.

Monfils, known for his resilience on the court, leaves the clay-court tournament with a season record of 16 wins and 6 losses. Earlier this year, he made headlines by winning the ATP 250 event in Auckland, where he became the oldest player to capture a tour-level title since 1977.

Rublev, ranked No. 16 in the PIF ATP Live Rankings, will face Alexander Bublik next. Rublev leads their career matchup 5-2, although this will be their first meeting on clay. The 27-year-old Russian is looking to improve his 11-9 season record, which includes a title run in Doha.

As a 17-time tour-level champion, Rublev hopes to reach the final in Madrid to maintain his position in the Top 10 rankings, where he has resided since September 2022.