Novak Djokovic and Jakub Mensik Lead Growing List of Withdrawals from Monte Carlo Masters

The 2026 Monte Carlo Masters field thins as 11 players, including Novak Djokovic and Jakub Mensik, withdraw from the first clay Masters of the year.

By: AXL Media

Published: Apr 8, 2026, 3:25 AM EDT

Source: Information for this report was sourced from Tennis365

Rising Attrition at the Monte Carlo Country Club

The 119th edition of the Monte Carlo Masters is facing a depleted field as several top tier players have opted to withdraw from the competition. By the third day of the tournament, the list of absences grew to include seven players currently ranked within the world top 30. The event, which utilizes a traditional one week, 56 player format, began on Sunday and is scheduled to conclude on May 12. As one of the few remaining Masters 1000 tournaments to maintain this condensed structure alongside the Paris Masters, the physical demands of the transition to clay appear to be taking a toll on the professional field.

Miami Open Champion Among Late Exits

A significant blow to the tournament’s lineup occurred on Tuesday when world number 26 Jakub Mensik withdrew shortly before his scheduled opening match against Fabian Marozsan. The 20 year old Czech player, who recently secured his maiden Masters 1000 title at the Miami Open, cited a toe injury as the reason for his departure. Mensik’s exit follows a pattern of late withdrawals that occurred after the official draw was finalized, joining other notable players such as Frances Tiafoe and Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard. He has been replaced in the draw by lucky loser Damir Dzumhur.

Novak Djokovic and the Top Ten Absentees

The absence of 24 time Grand Slam champion Novak Djokovic remains the most prominent storyline regarding the tournament's entry list. The world number four is joined by world number nine Taylor Fritz and world number eight Ben Shelton, who chose not to sign up for the event entirely. Analysts have noted that Djokovic’s continued absence from key Masters events could lead to a potential seeding problem as the tour approaches Roland Garros. Sebastian Baez has entered the draw as the replacement for Djokovic, while Terence Atmane has stepped in for Fritz.