Next year’s Madrid Open, which is a joint ATP and WTA event, will become a two-week event and is scheduled from 27 April to 9 May, 2021.
We sought this expansion and it is well-deserved, necessary and will allow us to enjoy the best tennis in the world at the Caja Mágica for a few more days. I’m sure that both our sponsors and all the fans will welcome this news with open arms, as well as the city of Madrid, which will receive more visitors for a longer period of time. Feliciano López, Mutua Madrid Open Tournament Director
The Mutua Madrid Open has traditionally been a one-week event held at the Caja Mágica since it moved there in 2009, transferring from hard courts to clay.
The men’s tournament was part of the ATP Tour calendar since 2002 before it became a joint ATP-WTA event and its extension into a two week event reaffirms what the organisers call the ‘spirit of growth’ at the only combined ATP Masters 1000 and WTA Premier Mandatory to be played in Europe.
The tournament was cancelled this year due to the coronavirus pandemic, but plans to return in 2021 ‘bigger, better and longer’ than ever.
“We’re happy to have achieved the goal of becoming a two-week tournament”, said Feliciano López, director of the Mutua Madrid Open. “We sought this expansion and it is well-deserved, necessary and will allow us to enjoy the best tennis in the world at the Caja Mágica for a few more days.
“I’m sure that both our sponsors and all the fans will welcome this news with open arms, as well as the city of Madrid, which will receive more visitors for a longer period of time.”
In 2021, the Mutua Madrid Open will start on Tuesday, 27 April 27 the WTA qualifying round, while the first round of the main draw in the women’s tournament will take place on Thursday, 29 April.
The ATP qualifiers will begin on Friday, 30 April, with the first round starting on Sunday, 2 May.
“The Mutua Madrid Open is held in incredibly high regard across the tennis community”, said Steve Simon, WTA Chairman and CEO. “This two-week format will allow the Madrid organisers to showcase this world-class event in the beautiful city of Madrid as truly one of the premier events on the WTA Tour and within the sport of tennis.”
Manolo Santana, the Mutua Madrid Open’s honorary president added: “It’s fantastic how much the tournament has grown since 2002, when we played its first edition at Casa de Campo.
“The two weeks of competition we’ll have as from next year will help us become one of the most important events on the calendar.”
Novak Djokovic and Kiki Bertens are defending champions after winning the titles in 2019.
Kiki Bertens defeated Simona Halep to win the Mutua Madrid Open at La Caja Magica in 2019
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