“The Mutua Madrid Open: A New Era in Tennis without the Big Three”

Since tennis is tennis, it has had four Grand Slam: australian open, Roland Garros, Wimbledon y US Open. It was in 1925 when they became known as the four majors and it has always been that way. Without a ‘big’ fifth, what has grown is the concept of Masters 1.000. He Mutua Madrid Openthe fourth of the calendar, increases its popularity this year.

The Mutua Madrid Open is starting now, with its draw for the draw for this Sunday (7:00 p.m.). It will be the most special edition, since the ATP and WTA draws go from 56 to 96 players and the duration is extended to two weeks. The Madrid tournament, like the Rome Masters and of Shanghaitake the leap in 2023 to equip Indian Wells y Miami. In 2025, there will be two other tournaments -without revealing which ones yet- that will grow.

In this edition, moreover, it is the case that it is the first time since 2002 that neither Rafa Nadal in Novak Djokovic participate in the Mutua Madrid Open. Both have dropped out of the tournament due to injury. With Roger Federer already retired since last year, the Big Three will not be represented in the Caja Mágica. The never seen. Carlos alcarazcurrent champion and main attraction of the event, leads a whole new generation.

[Rafa Nadal, sin plazos y con un “cambio de rumbo” nada alentador: “Roland Garros está muy difícil”]

The Mutua Madrid Open does not stop growing. It was born as an ATP 1,000 indoor court 21 years ago, but it was transformed until it became one of the most important clay court tournaments in the world and which, moreover, celebrates the men’s and women’s teams together.

It has the Mutua Madrid as main sponsor until at least 2027, generating more than 20 million euros, and there is an agreement with the City Council to maintain the tournament until 2030, at least. In April 2022, he took another important step when he was bought, along with the golf tournament Acciona Open of Spainby the company IMGof the group Endeavor.

Adding previous and final tables of ATP and WTA, more than 200 tennis players will go through the Magic Box just to compete individually. To these must be added the 32 male couples and as many female ones who will compete in doubles. It is the biggest Madrid Masters ever, something that is also reflected in the prize money of the tournament: 17,596,356 euros (8,796,356 to be distributed among men and the same amount for women).

The Mutua Madrid Open has three stadiums with retractable roofs with capacity for 12,500, 2,900 and 1,900 people (in addition to 11 courts), but an investment of 18 million euros is planned to add another indoor court from 2025. This will have capacity for 10,000 people, thus approaching the capacity of the center court (Manolo Santana) to help host large matches.

First time without the Big Three

All this would not be possible without the best rackets in the world, which come to Madrid every year to play the Masters. Throughout its history there have been champions like Andre Agassi (2002) o Marat Safin (2004), but just like in the world scene of this century, no one has shone more than the Big Three formed by Nadal, Djokovic and Federer.

The three stars command the record with 4 victories for Rafa (2005, 2010, 2013, 2014, 2017) and 3 for Roger (2006, 2009, 2012) and Novak (2011, 2016, 2019). It will be the first time in the history of the tournament that none of the three compete in Madrid.

Federer’s thing was confirmed by his retirement from professional tennis last year. In addition, the Swiss had not set foot in the tournament since 2019. On his last visit he fell in the quarterfinals against Alexander Zverev.

The thing about Nadal and Djokovic has been caught by surprise, since they were counted on since the tournament began to be promoted. The injury in the psoas that Rafa drags from the australian open It has become complicated and has compromised his preparation for Rolan Garros, having gone almost 100 days without playing an official match. As for Djokovic, who at least has been able to play in Montecarlo y Family LukaSome elbow problems are preventing him from performing at his level and he will rest these two weeks thinking about the major that is played in Paris within a month.

The new age

It is a new era in world tennis and, therefore, in a tournament like the Mutua Madrid Open. It was seen last year with the victory of Carlos Alcaraz with just turned 19 years old and it is confirmed now. The Murcian, without Djokovic in the draw, will be the first seed. He is the favorite for the title, although he will not be the only champion in the men’s draw. Zverev (2018 and 2021) and Andy Murray (2008 and 2015) will also make an appearance.

However, the focus is on Alcaraz and the tennis players of his generation who are stepping on more and more. Jannik Sinner (who withdrew this week from god due to illness) and Holger Rune (who is playing the final of Munich) are right now the other two jewels that aspire to form together with Carlitos the new world Big Three. Also Tsitsipas o Medvedev They will look for their first title in Madrid from the 24th. Start a new chapter in the Magic Box, one bigger than the previous 20.

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