Clay, Rafael Nadal, Wild card controversy: 16 questions about the 2022 Madrid Open
All you need to know about the upcoming 2022 Madrid Open tournament, which kicks off at the Caja Majica this week
The Caja Magica in Madrid, Spain; Mutua Madrid Open 2021
Image Credit: AI / Reuters / Panoramic
What are the dates of the WTA Madrid Open?
The WTA edition of the 2022 Madrid Open will see its qualifying draw kick off on Tuesday, April 26 and the main draw begin on Thursday, April 28 with the final being scheduled for Saturday, May 7.
What are the dates of the ATP Madrid Masters?
The ATP Masters Series edition of the 2022 Madrid Open will see its qualifying draw kick off on Saturday, April 30 and the main draw begin on Sunday, May 1 with the final being scheduled for the following Sunday, May 8.
Where is the Mutua Madrid Open held?
The Mutua Madrid Open takes place in Madrid, Spain, on the courts of La Caja Mágica sports complex (which is also known as the “Magic Box”).
The stadium, inaugurated in 2009, is made completely from iron, wood and glass, and was designed by renowned French architect Dominique Perraul.
On which surface is the tournament played?
Until 2009, the Madrid Open was played on hard courts and was a men’s only event. Since 2009, it has become a joint ATP-WTA event and is played on outdoor clay courts. It is the second clay-court ATP Masters 1000 of the season and takes place after the Monte-Carlo Masters and just before Rome.
In 2012, the tournament organizers experimented and used blue clay as the surface. The change was a controversial move with many players saying that the surface was too slippery.
After that, all courts were reconstructed in 2012 ahead of the 2013 edition and the tournament returned to the usual red clay courts starting 2013 which continues to be the surface used to date. With the venue being at 650 metres above sea level, the playing conditions at the tournament are much faster than other clay-court events, such as Monte-Carlo, Rome or Roland-Garros.
Which are the main courts at the tournament?
The Caja Mágica complex has three courts with retractable roofs. The centre court, named after 4-time Grand Slam winner Manolo Santana, has 12,500 seats.
Court number 2, which can host 3,500 fans, is named after another Spanish Hall of Famer Arantxa Sanchez Vicario, while court number 3 can seat 2,500.
Who are the defending champions at the Madrid Open?
In 2021, Germany’s Alexander Zverev defeated Italy’s Matteo Berrettini 6-7 (8-10), 6-4, 6-3 to win his second Madrid Open ttile (the first one coming in 2018).
Belarus’ Aryna Sabalenka defeated world No 1 Ash Barty 6-0, 3-6, 6-4 to win the women’s event – her first singles crown in Madrid.
In doubles, the pair of Marcel Granollers/ Horacio Zeballos defeated Nikola Mektic/ Mate Pavic 1-6, 6-3, 10-8 to capture the men’s doubles title while Barbora Krejcikova partnered with countrywoman Katerina Siniakova to beat Gabriela Dabrowski/ Demi Schuurs 6-4, 6-3 to win the women’s doubles title.
How many times has Rafael Nadal won the Madrid Open?
Rafael Nadal has won the men’s singles titles in Madrid five times – the most by any player in the history of the tournament. The Spaniard won the title in 2005, 2010, 2013, 2014 and 2017. In 2021, the Spaniard was defeated by eventual champion Zverev in the quarter-finals. After missing the start of the 2022 clay court season due to a rib injury, Nadal is expected to make his 2022 clay court debut in Madrid.
Former world No 2 Petra Kvitova leads the tally on the women’s side with three titles – 2011, 2015, and 2018. Last year, the Czech was defeated in the quarter-finals by top-ranked Barty in three sets.
In doubles, Mike Bryan, Bob Bryan and Daniel Nestor have won the title 5 times each on the men’s side. Canada’s Daniel Nestor is also a five-time Madrid Open doubles winner, those wins coming with two different partners – Mark Knowles (3) and Nenad Zimonjic (2). Sara Errani and Roberta Vinci have won the women’s doubles title twice each.
Who were the previous winners of the Madrid Open?
In men’s singles, the winners of the Madrid Masters 1000 event over the past 10 editions have been :
- 2021 – Alexander Zverev
- 2019 – Novak Djokovic
- 2018 – Alexander Zverev
- 2017 – Rafael Nadal
- 2016 – Novak Djokovic
- 2015 – Andy Murray
- 2014 – Rafael Nadal
- 2013 – Rafael Nadal
- 2012 – Roger Federer
- 2011 – Novak Djokovic
In the women’s singles, the winners over the same period have been :
- 2021 – Aryna Sabalenka
- 2019 – Kiki Bertens
- 2018 – Petra Kvitova
- 2017 – Simona Halep
- 2016 – Simona Halep
- 2015 – Petra Kvitova
- 2014 – Maria Sharapova
- 2013 – Serena Williams
- 2012 – Serena Williams
- 2011 – Petra Kvitova
The tournament was not held in 2020 due to the coronavirus pandemic.
What is the draw size?
The men’s draw will feature 56 singles players and 28 doubles teams. Meanwhile, the women’s event will feature 64 singles players and 32 doubles teams.
How many ranking points can players earn at the Madrid Open?
For men, as for the other Masters 1000, ATP points are allotted as follows:
- Title: 1000 points
- Final: 600 points
- Semi-final: 360 points
- Quarter-final: 180 points
- Round of 16: 90 points
- 2nd round: 45 points
- 1st round: 25 points
For the women, WTA points for the WTA Premier tournament in Madrid are allocated as follows:
- Title: 1000 points
- Final: 650 points
- Semi-final: 390 points
- Quarter-final: 215 points
- Round of 16: 120 points
- 2nd round: 65 points
- 1st round: 10 points
What is the prize money for the 2022 Madrid Open?
The WTA event in Madrid offers a total player compensation pool of €6,744,165 while the ATP event offfers a total financial commitment of €7,499,290
Will Russian and Belarusian players be allowed to play the Madrid Open?
The discussion around Russian and Belarusian players being allowed to play tournaments has become a burning topic in the tennis world after Wimbledon’s decision to ban players from those two countries from playing the 2022 Championships on account of their invasion of Ukraine.
While reports suggest that the Italian government may also adopt a similar approach for the combined ATP-WTA Italian Open, Russian and Belarusian players are being allowed to play in Madrid.
Who have been granted wild cards for the Madrid Open?
For the men’s edition, former world No 1 and two-time Madrid Open champion Andy Murray is among the wild card recipients.
On the women’s side, four-time Grand Slam winner Naomi Osaka and 16-year-old Czech teen Linda Fruhvirtova are among those who received an invitation into the main draw.
There has been some heartburn among the Spanish players, who received only one of the combined nine main draw wild cards in 2022 – a break from the tradition of allocating a majority of wild cards to local players in tournaments across the world.
The purchase of the tournament by the IMG Group is a major reason for the same, with IMG deciding to allocate to several players from its own stable.
How can you buy tickets for the 2022 Madrid Open?
Tickets for the Madrid Masters 1000 and WTA Premier are available on the tournament website.
How can you watch the Madrid Open on TV?
Tennis Channel is the official broadcaster of the Madrid Masters 1000 in the United States. In France, you can watch the men’s tournament on Canal+, Eurosport. ESPN is the official broadcaster in South America. Amazon Prime Video holds broadcasting rights in the United Kingdom. For other regions, you can check out the schedule on the ATP Tour website.
As per the WTA Tour website, WTA events are broadcast on the Tennis Channel in the United States, and beIN network in France.
Can I follow the Mutua Madrid Open on social media?
Yes, you can follow the Mutua Madrid Open on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook. The tournament also has its own channel on YouTube, which can be accessed here.
