Madrid Masters 1000 – 2026 Preview
The iconic Caja Mágica is ready to host another thrilling edition of the Mutua Madrid Open
Madrid, Spain · 22 Apr – 4 May
The Madrid Open is an annual professional tennis tournament held in Madrid, Spain. It is played on clay courts at the Caja Mágica in Manzanares Park, and is held in late April and early May.
Tournament Schedule
- Qualifying: Monday, 20 April at 10 a.m. and Tuesday, 21 April at 11 a.m.
- Main Draw: Wednesday, 22 April – Tuesday, 28 April at 11 a.m., Wednesday, 29 April – Thursday, 30 April at 1 p.m. and Friday, 1 May at 1:30 p.m.
- Singles Final: Sunday, 3 May, not before 5 p.m.
Prize Money and Ranking Points
Total Prize Money: € 8,235,540
| Round | Prize Money | Ranking Points |
|---|---|---|
| Winner | € 1,007,165 | 1,000 |
| Finalist | € 535,585 | 650 |
| Semi-finalist | € 297,550 | 400 |
| Quarter-finalist | € 169,375 | 200 |
| Round of 16 | € 92,470 | 100 |
| Round of 32 | € 54,110 | 50 |
| Round of 64 | € 31,585 | 30 |
| Round of 96 | € 21,285 | 10 |
History
The Mutua Madrid Open first took place in 2002 as an indoor hard-court tournament at the Madrid Arena. A major transformation occurred in 2009 when it moved to the futuristic Caja Mágica, switched to outdoor clay, and became a combined ATP and WTA Masters 1000 event. The tournament gained worldwide attention in 2012 for its controversial use of blue clay, an experiment designed to improve TV visibility that was abandoned after just one year following widespread player complaints about the slippery surface. Rafael Nadal remains the most successful player in tournament history with five titles.
Tournament Data
Madrid is played at an altitude of approximately 650–655 meters (2,130–2,150 feet) above sea level. This high altitude creates thinner air, which makes the ball fly faster and bounce higher, one of the main reasons Madrid consistently produces one of the fastest clay conditions on the entire ATP clay swing.
These are the stats from recent years (2025 shown for reference, with consistent trends over the last five years):
- 8.5% Aces per service game
- Surface Speed Rating: 0.78 (Tennis Abstract) - one of the highest on clay (for comparison, Barcelona 2025 rated just 0.57)
- Noticeably higher % points won on first serve and service hold % than typical European clay tournaments
- More tiebreaks per set than slower clay events
Tournament Past Winners
| Year | Winner | Runner Up | Semi-finalist 1 | Semi-finalist 2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Casper Ruud | Jack Draper | Francisco Cerundolo | Lorenzo Musetti |
| 2024 | Andrey Rublev | Felix Auger-Aliassime | Taylor Fritz | Jiri Lehecka |
| 2023 | Carlos Alcaraz | Jan-Lennard Struff | Borna Coric | Aslan Karatsev |
| 2022 | Carlos Alcaraz | Alexander Zverev | Novak Djokovic | Stefanos Tsitsipas |
| 2021 | Alexander Zverev | Matteo Berrettini | Dominic Thiem | Casper Ruud |
Weather
This week in Madrid, daytime conditions look very favourable: temperatures will range between 18–25°C (64–77°F), starting mild in the low-to-mid 60s°F early in the week and warming into the mid-70s°F by the weekend; humidity will generally sit around 40–60%; winds will be light to moderate, around 10–20 km/h (6–12 mph); and the forecast is mostly dry and sunny with only minimal chance of early-week showers.
Key 2026 News and Storylines
Major Withdrawals (Star Power Hit Hard)
- Carlos Alcaraz (World No. 2, Spain) - OUT with a right wrist injury picked up during his opening match in Barcelona (he withdrew from Barcelona too). This is the second year in a row he's missing his home Masters 1000. Alcaraz posted an emotional message: "Madrid is home… it hurts so much not to be able to play here for the second year in a row." Huge blow for Spanish fans and the tournament.
- Novak Djokovic (World No. 4) - OUT with a lingering shoulder injury (not yet ready for his comeback).
- Taylor Fritz (World No. 8) - OUT with knee tendinitis (hasn't played any clay matches this season).
- Holger Rune - OUT (targeting a return in Rome instead).
- Jack Draper (2025 runner-up) - OUT with an aggravated right knee tendon injury (same issue that forced him to retire in Barcelona). He will also miss Rome and faces a big ranking drop after defending finalist points.
- Other notable ATP absences: Sebastian Korda, Frances Tiafoe, Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard, Arthur Cazaux, Jacob Fearnley, Kamil Majchrzak.
Key Players In (or Status to Watch)
- Jannik Sinner (World No. 1) - Confirmed and in Madrid. He'll make any final fitness call on site, but he is in the entry list, has practiced, and is expected to play as the top seed.
- Casper Ruud (defending champion) - IN but not 100% fit. He withdrew from Barcelona with the calf/leg injury sustained in Monte Carlo and has been training at the Rafa Nadal Academy this week to prepare for the defence of his title. Fitness remains a question mark.
- Alexander Zverev (World No. 3) - IN and one of the top remaining seeds/contenders.
The tournament has taken a noticeable hit in star power with Alcaraz, Djokovic, Fritz, and now Draper all sidelined. That opens the door wider for Ruud, Sinner (if fully fit), Zverev, and aggressive baseliners who excel on Madrid's quick, high-bouncing clay.
Tournament Draws
Here are the links to the draws that you can check anytime to follow the latest updates and see which players advance through each round.
Summary
Madrid offers some of the fastest clay conditions in the circuit thanks to the high altitude. Mild-to-warm weather is expected this week (not extreme heat), which should keep the courts lively and consistent without slowing them down significantly.
So, if the weather holds, expect quicker-than-average clay conditions this year. These conditions favour aggressive baseliners, big servers, and players who thrive on higher bounces and faster ball flight. Those who prefer very slow, heavy clay (or pure grinders) may find it tougher, while players comfortable with quicker surfaces get a real boost.
Ready for some high-altitude clay tennis at the Caja Mágica? With the big names missing and the courts playing fast, this could be one of the most open Madrid titles in years. Let's see who adapts best to these unique conditions and cashes in the fantasy points!
Did You Know?
- Longest match in ATP Masters 1000 history - The 2009 semi-final between Nadal and Djokovic lasted 4 hours and 3 minutes (Nadal won in three tight sets). It happened in the very first year the tournament was played on clay.
- Federer is the only player in history to win Madrid on three different surfaces - indoor hard (2006), red clay (2009), and the infamous blue clay (2012).