With three days to go until the draw for the Mutua Madrid Open Virtual Pro, the organisers have confirmed that Dominic Thiem and Kei Nishikori will also participate in the innovative tournament.
The best tennis players in the world will face off with one another virtually from their homes from 27-30 April. The biggest ATP and WTA stars will swap their racquets for a PlayStation 4 to clash in a Manolo Santana Stadium that has been recreated in exquisite detail in the Tennis World Tour video game (Nacon Gaming).
Thiem, a two-time Mutua Madrid Open finalist (2017 and 2018), is currently the No. 3 player in the FedEx ATP Rankings. The Austrian, who started 2020 by reaching the final of the Australian Open, will clash against some of his biggest rivals in the Mutua Madrid Open Virtual Pro, including Rafael Nadal and Alexander Zverev.
“I’m looking very much forward to the Mutua Madrid Open Virtual Pro tournament,” said Thiem. “Of course this won’t be the same to play virtual compared to the real one, but it’s a great initiative and I’m very excited about it, still. It’s my first time ever to play an event like this. Again, I’m really looking forward to my first match! It’s going to be great.”
Nishikori, a 12-time ATP Tour titlist, has accepted the challenge of the new tournament, thus contributing to the competition’s main cause.
“Excited to help the Madrid tournament with this unique experience,” said Nishikori. “We are all hoping to be back on court soon, but as we are all staying safe inside for now… this will hopefully provide fans with some much needed positive entertainment.”
They will both have the chance to help the tennis players most in need at this time, to help those without income get and those affected by the virus get through these months of inactivity in the pioneering online charity competition.
The tournament will include a purse of €150,000 in both draws (ATP and WTA), from which the winners will be able to decide on how much they donate to the tennis players currently suffering economically, and €50,000 that will all go towards reducing the social impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The format for the Mutua Madrid Open Virtual Pro will be as follows: 16 singles players in each of the two draws (ATP and WTA) initially divided into four groups. The champion of each group will progress to the quarter-finals, which will also include the runner-up of each group. From there, the tournament will be played as a knock-out. In addition, in parallel with the official competition, there will be a series of benefit matches that will see some of the biggest content creators in the gaming world take on the professional tennis players to raise funds to help those affected by COVID-19.
All fans will be able to follow the tournament online, on television and on the Mutua Madrid Open’s social media, with a spectacular production that will include commentary on all the matches, analysis and highlights programmes and interviews with the winners after each match.
The other previously announced ATP Tour stars competing are Nadal, Zverev, Andy Murray, Gael Monfils, David Goffin, Fabio Fognini, Diego Schwartzman, Karen Khachanov, John Isner, Lucas Pouille, David Ferrer and Frances Tiafoe. The WTA field will consist of Karolina Pliskova, Elina Svitolina, Bianca Andreescu Belinda Bencic, Kiki Bertens, Angelique Kerber, Madison Keys, Kristina Mladenovic, Carla Suárez, Victoria Azarenka, Johanna Konta, Fiona Ferro, Eugenie Bouchard and Sorana Cirstea. The organisers of the Mutua Madrid Open will soon reveal the remaining participants, as well as other news of the competition.
With three days to go until the draw for the Mutua Madrid Open Virtual Pro, the organisers have confirmed that Dominic Thiem and Kei Nishikori will also participate in the innovative tournament.
The best tennis players in the world will face off with one another virtually from their homes from 27-30 April. The biggest ATP and WTA stars will swap their racquets for a PlayStation 4 to clash in a Manolo Santana Stadium that has been recreated in exquisite detail in the Tennis World Tour video game (Nacon Gaming).
Thiem, a two-time Mutua Madrid Open finalist (2017 and 2018), is currently the No. 3 player in the FedEx ATP Rankings. The Austrian, who started 2020 by reaching the final of the Australian Open, will clash against some of his biggest rivals in the Mutua Madrid Open Virtual Pro, including Rafael Nadal and Alexander Zverev.
“I’m looking very much forward to the Mutua Madrid Open Virtual Pro tournament,” said Thiem. “Of course this won’t be the same to play virtual compared to the real one, but it’s a great initiative and I’m very excited about it, still. It’s my first time ever to play an event like this. Again, I’m really looking forward to my first match! It’s going to be great.”
Nishikori, a 12-time ATP Tour titlist, has accepted the challenge of the new tournament, thus contributing to the competition’s main cause.
“Excited to help the Madrid tournament with this unique experience,” said Nishikori. “We are all hoping to be back on court soon, but as we are all staying safe inside for now… this will hopefully provide fans with some much needed positive entertainment.”
They will both have the chance to help the tennis players most in need at this time, to help those without income get and those affected by the virus get through these months of inactivity in the pioneering online charity competition.
The tournament will include a purse of €150,000 in both draws (ATP and WTA), from which the winners will be able to decide on how much they donate to the tennis players currently suffering economically, and €50,000 that will all go towards reducing the social impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The format for the Mutua Madrid Open Virtual Pro will be as follows: 16 singles players in each of the two draws (ATP and WTA) initially divided into four groups. The champion of each group will progress to the quarter-finals, which will also include the runner-up of each group. From there, the tournament will be played as a knock-out. In addition, in parallel with the official competition, there will be a series of benefit matches that will see some of the biggest content creators in the gaming world take on the professional tennis players to raise funds to help those affected by COVID-19.
All fans will be able to follow the tournament online, on television and on the Mutua Madrid Open’s social media, with a spectacular production that will include commentary on all the matches, analysis and highlights programmes and interviews with the winners after each match.
The other previously announced ATP Tour stars competing are Nadal, Zverev, Andy Murray, Gael Monfils, David Goffin, Fabio Fognini, Diego Schwartzman, Karen Khachanov, John Isner, Lucas Pouille, David Ferrer and Frances Tiafoe. The WTA field will consist of Karolina Pliskova, Elina Svitolina, Bianca Andreescu Belinda Bencic, Kiki Bertens, Angelique Kerber, Madison Keys, Kristina Mladenovic, Carla Suárez, Victoria Azarenka, Johanna Konta, Fiona Ferro, Eugenie Bouchard and Sorana Cirstea. The organisers of the Mutua Madrid Open will soon reveal the remaining participants, as well as other news of the competition.
The Hungarian Open is the only ATP Tour event to ever take place in Hungary, and it has already proven a key tournament for several players since its inception in 2017. ATPTour.com takes a closer look at the ATP 250.
1) Pouille Kicked Off The Event In Style In 2017 The Hungarian Open is on the rise, as the ATP 250 made its debut in 2017. That event marked the first time that Hungary hosted an ATP Tour event. France’s Lucas Pouille won the inaugural edition of the clay-court tournament.
Pouille, who was the top seed that year, saved two match points in his opening-round match against Jiri Vesely, needing a final-set tie-break in that match. The Frenchman did not look back from there, winning the tournament without losing a set the rest of the way. That was the first of three ATP Tour titles for Pouille in 2017, when he lifted a trophy on clay (Budapest), grass (Stuttgart) and hard (Vienna).
2) Lucky Loser Champion Marco Cecchinato won his first ATP Tour trophy at 2018 Budapest, but for a moment it appeared he wouldn’t make the main draw.
The Italian entered the week as the No. 92 player in the FedEx ATP Rankings, forcing him to go through qualifying. He won just six games in the final round of qualifying against then-World No. 133 Jurgen Zopp, but Cecchinato got into the main draw as a lucky loser.
Five wins later, Cecchinato lifted the trophy. There were eight qualifiers who earned ATP Tour titles in 2018, but Cecchinato was the only lucky loser to accomplish the feat that season.
The Italian carried that momentum into Roland Garros one month later, shocking the world by defeating Novak Djokovic en route to the semi-finals. That run helped him reach a career-high World No. 16 last February, and it all started in Budapest.
3) Berrettini’s Launching Pad Matteo Berrettini is the reigning Budapest champion, and he used his triumph in Hungary as a launching pad towards the Top 10.
The Italian did not claim his first ATP Tour crown at 2019 Budapest, but it was an important triumph for him nonetheless. Berrettini arrived in Hungary on a five-match tour-level losing streak, ranked World No. 55. But he battled through two three-setters to win his first title of the season.
By the end of the year, Berrettini was not only inside the Top 10, but he earned a spot in the 2019 Nitto ATP Finals.
4) ATP ACES For Charity Recipient The Hungarian Open, a 2018 ATP ACES For Charity grant recipient, held a successful kids’ day on 25 April 2018 in Budapest, benefitting more than 400 children. The tournament also donated three junior-sized sports wheelchairs, which kids used to play tennis with the help of wheelchair tennis instructors and ATP Tour pros.
Georgian Nikoloz Basilashvili, Bosnia & Herzegovina’s Damir Dzumhur, Colombian Santiago Gonzalez, Briton Dominic Inglot, Germans Yannick Maden and Maximilian Marterer, Japan’s Ben McLachlan, Aussie John Millman, Hungarian Zsombor Piros, top seed Lucas Pouille, #NextGenATP Canadian Denis Shapovalov, Croatian Franko Skugor, Ukrainian Sergiy Stakhovsky, and Swede Elias Ymer joined the festivities to help create a memorable experience for all of the kids.
5) Dinner With Denis Two years ago, Denis Shapovalov took fans behind the scenes into his life off the court, allowing a camera crew to join his team at dinner in Budapest. The Canadian was accompanied by then-coach Martin Laurendeau, Hungarian practice partner Peter Nagy and physio Stefano De Pirro.
“When we’re on site or during the day it’s a lot of business, a lot of hard work,” Shapovalov said. “It’s nice to get away from that and just spend some quality time with the guys, not talk about tennis, just talk about life.”
The Hungarian Open is the only ATP Tour event to ever take place in Hungary, and it has already proven a key tournament for several players since its inception in 2017. ATPTour.com takes a closer look at the ATP 250.
1) Pouille Kicked Off The Event In Style In 2017 The Hungarian Open is on the rise, as the ATP 250 made its debut in 2017. That event marked the first time that Hungary hosted an ATP Tour event. France’s Lucas Pouille won the inaugural edition of the clay-court tournament.
Pouille, who was the top seed that year, saved two match points in his opening-round match against Jiri Vesely, needing a final-set tie-break in that match. The Frenchman did not look back from there, winning the tournament without losing a set the rest of the way. That was the first of three ATP Tour titles for Pouille in 2017, when he lifted a trophy on clay (Budapest), grass (Stuttgart) and hard (Vienna).
2) Lucky Loser Champion Marco Cecchinato won his first ATP Tour trophy at 2018 Budapest, but for a moment it appeared he wouldn’t make the main draw.
The Italian entered the week as the No. 92 player in the FedEx ATP Rankings, forcing him to go through qualifying. He won just six games in the final round of qualifying against then-World No. 133 Jurgen Zopp, but Cecchinato got into the main draw as a lucky loser.
Five wins later, Cecchinato lifted the trophy. There were eight qualifiers who earned ATP Tour titles in 2018, but Cecchinato was the only lucky loser to accomplish the feat that season.
The Italian carried that momentum into Roland Garros one month later, shocking the world by defeating Novak Djokovic en route to the semi-finals. That run helped him reach a career-high World No. 16 last February, and it all started in Budapest.
3) Berrettini’s Launching Pad Matteo Berrettini is the reigning Budapest champion, and he used his triumph in Hungary as a launching pad towards the Top 10.
The Italian did not claim his first ATP Tour crown at 2019 Budapest, but it was an important triumph for him nonetheless. Berrettini arrived in Hungary on a five-match tour-level losing streak, ranked World No. 55. But he battled through two three-setters to win his first title of the season.
By the end of the year, Berrettini was not only inside the Top 10, but he earned a spot in the 2019 Nitto ATP Finals.
4) ATP ACES For Charity Recipient The Hungarian Open, a 2018 ATP ACES For Charity grant recipient, held a successful kids’ day on 25 April 2018 in Budapest, benefitting more than 400 children. The tournament also donated three junior-sized sports wheelchairs, which kids used to play tennis with the help of wheelchair tennis instructors and ATP Tour pros.
Georgian Nikoloz Basilashvili, Bosnia & Herzegovina’s Damir Dzumhur, Colombian Santiago Gonzalez, Briton Dominic Inglot, Germans Yannick Maden and Maximilian Marterer, Japan’s Ben McLachlan, Aussie John Millman, Hungarian Zsombor Piros, top seed Lucas Pouille, #NextGenATP Canadian Denis Shapovalov, Croatian Franko Skugor, Ukrainian Sergiy Stakhovsky, and Swede Elias Ymer joined the festivities to help create a memorable experience for all of the kids.
5) Dinner With Denis Two years ago, Denis Shapovalov took fans behind the scenes into his life off the court, allowing a camera crew to join his team at dinner in Budapest. The Canadian was accompanied by then-coach Martin Laurendeau, Hungarian practice partner Peter Nagy and physio Stefano De Pirro.
“When we’re on site or during the day it’s a lot of business, a lot of hard work,” Shapovalov said. “It’s nice to get away from that and just spend some quality time with the guys, not talk about tennis, just talk about life.”
The 2019 BNP Paribas Open ushered in the 30th year of ATP Masters 1000 tennis, with Dominic Thiem claiming his first title at the elite level. The series, which debuted in 1990, features the best men’s tennis players at nine top tournaments on the ATP calendar. Champions at Masters 1000 events earn 1,000 ATP Rankings points.
Tournament
City
2019 Dates
Defending Champion
BNP Paribas Open
Indian Wells
7-17 March
Juan Martin del Potro
Miami Open presented by Itau
Miami
20-31 March
John Isner
Rolex Monte-Carlo Masters
Monte-Carlo
14-21 April
Rafael Nadal
Mutua Madrid Open
Madrid
5-12 May
Alexander Zverev
Internazionali BNL d’Italia
Rome
12-19 May
Rafael Nadal
Coupe Rogers
Montreal
5-11 August
Rafael Nadal
Western & Southern Open
Cincinnati
11-18 August
Novak Djokovic
Rolex Shanghai Masters
Shanghai
6-13 October
Novak Djokovic
Rolex Paris Masters
Paris
28 Oct – 3 Nov
Karen Khachanov
MASTERS 1000 TITLE LEADERS… 2019 marks the 30th year of ATP Masters 1000 tennis. There have been 66 different champions crowned in 261 events since the series began in 1990. Only six players have won more than 10 Masters 1000 titles. Rafael Nadal leads the way with 33 following a trio of Masters 1000 titles in 2018, while Novak Djokovic has 32.
Player
Titles
Rafael Nadal
33
Novak Djokovic
32
Roger Federer
27
Andre Agassi
17
Andy Murray
14
Pete Sampras
11
MASTERS 1000 WINS LEADERS… Entering the 2019 BNP Paribas Open, Roger Federer leads Masters 1000 win leaders, but Rafael Nadal has a chance to overtake the Swiss with his run in Indian Wells. Stan Wawrinka is in position to enter the leaderboard and pass BNP Paribas Open Tournament Director Tommy Haas. Wawrinka has a 143-98 record at ATP Masters 1000 events with one title (2014 Monte-Carlo).
Player
W-L
Titles
Roger Federer
368-105
27
Rafael Nadal
366-77
33
Novak Djokovic
333-74
32
Andy Murray
212-81
14
Andre Agassi
209-73
17
Tomas Berdych
191-117
1
Pete Sampras
190-70
11
David Ferrer
186-120
1
Andy Roddick
157-70
5
Tommy Haas
144-107
1
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GREATEST CHAMPIONS (since 1990)… Novak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal, Roger Federer, Bob Bryan and Mike Bryan dominate the titles leaderboard for the Masters 1000 tournaments.
City
Singles
Doubles
Indian Wells
Novak Djokovic, Roger Federer (5)
Mark Knowles, Daniel Nestor (4)
Miami
Andre Agassi, Novak Djokovic (6)
Bob Bryan, Mike Bryan (5)
Monte-Carlo
Rafael Nadal (11)
Bob Bryan, Mike Bryan (6)
Madrid
Rafael Nadal (5)
Bob Bryan, Mike Bryan (5)
Rome
Rafael Nadal (8)
Bob Bryan, Mike Bryan (4)
Canada
Novak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal (4)
Mahesh Bhupathi, Bob Bryan, Mike Bryan (5)
Cincinnati
Roger Federer (7)
Bob Bryan, Mike Bryan, Daniel Nestor (5)
Shanghai
Novak Djokovic (4)
Marcelo Melo (3)
Paris
Novak Djokovic (4)
Bob Bryan, Mike Bryan (4)
MAIDEN MASTERS: Seven players have won their first Masters 1000 title over the past 15 series events:
Alexander Zverev (2017 Rome)
Grigor Dimitrov (2017 Cincinnati)
Jack Sock (2017 Paris)
Juan Martin del Potro (2018 Indian Wells)
John Isner (2018 Miami)
Karen Khachanov (2018 Paris)
Dominic Thiem (2019 Indian Wells)
In the 78 ATP Masters 1000 events prior to 2017 Rome, six players won their first Masters 1000 title:
Jo-Wilfried Tsonga (2008 Paris)
Ivan Ljubicic (2010 Indian Wells)
Robin Soderling (2010 Paris)
David Ferrer (2012 Paris)
Stan Wawrinka (2014 Monte-Carlo)
Marin Cilic (2016 Cincinnati).
During the stretch from 2008 Madrid through 2017 Madrid, Novak Djokovic (26), Rafael Nadal (18), Andy Murray (13) and Roger Federer (12) combined to capture 69 of the 78 Masters 1000 titles (88.5%).
The 2019 BNP Paribas Open ushered in the 30th year of ATP Masters 1000 tennis, with Dominic Thiem claiming his first title at the elite level. The series, which debuted in 1990, features the best men’s tennis players at nine top tournaments on the ATP calendar. Champions at Masters 1000 events earn 1,000 ATP Rankings points.
Tournament
City
2019 Dates
Defending Champion
BNP Paribas Open
Indian Wells
7-17 March
Juan Martin del Potro
Miami Open presented by Itau
Miami
20-31 March
John Isner
Rolex Monte-Carlo Masters
Monte-Carlo
14-21 April
Rafael Nadal
Mutua Madrid Open
Madrid
5-12 May
Alexander Zverev
Internazionali BNL d’Italia
Rome
12-19 May
Rafael Nadal
Coupe Rogers
Montreal
5-11 August
Rafael Nadal
Western & Southern Open
Cincinnati
11-18 August
Novak Djokovic
Rolex Shanghai Masters
Shanghai
6-13 October
Novak Djokovic
Rolex Paris Masters
Paris
28 Oct – 3 Nov
Karen Khachanov
MASTERS 1000 TITLE LEADERS… 2019 marks the 30th year of ATP Masters 1000 tennis. There have been 66 different champions crowned in 261 events since the series began in 1990. Only six players have won more than 10 Masters 1000 titles. Rafael Nadal leads the way with 33 following a trio of Masters 1000 titles in 2018, while Novak Djokovic has 32.
Player
Titles
Rafael Nadal
33
Novak Djokovic
32
Roger Federer
27
Andre Agassi
17
Andy Murray
14
Pete Sampras
11
MASTERS 1000 WINS LEADERS… Entering the 2019 BNP Paribas Open, Roger Federer leads Masters 1000 win leaders, but Rafael Nadal has a chance to overtake the Swiss with his run in Indian Wells. Stan Wawrinka is in position to enter the leaderboard and pass BNP Paribas Open Tournament Director Tommy Haas. Wawrinka has a 143-98 record at ATP Masters 1000 events with one title (2014 Monte-Carlo).
Player
W-L
Titles
Roger Federer
368-105
27
Rafael Nadal
366-77
33
Novak Djokovic
333-74
32
Andy Murray
212-81
14
Andre Agassi
209-73
17
Tomas Berdych
191-117
1
Pete Sampras
190-70
11
David Ferrer
186-120
1
Andy Roddick
157-70
5
Tommy Haas
144-107
1
[ALSO LIKE]
GREATEST CHAMPIONS (since 1990)… Novak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal, Roger Federer, Bob Bryan and Mike Bryan dominate the titles leaderboard for the Masters 1000 tournaments.
City
Singles
Doubles
Indian Wells
Novak Djokovic, Roger Federer (5)
Mark Knowles, Daniel Nestor (4)
Miami
Andre Agassi, Novak Djokovic (6)
Bob Bryan, Mike Bryan (5)
Monte-Carlo
Rafael Nadal (11)
Bob Bryan, Mike Bryan (6)
Madrid
Rafael Nadal (5)
Bob Bryan, Mike Bryan (5)
Rome
Rafael Nadal (8)
Bob Bryan, Mike Bryan (4)
Canada
Novak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal (4)
Mahesh Bhupathi, Bob Bryan, Mike Bryan (5)
Cincinnati
Roger Federer (7)
Bob Bryan, Mike Bryan, Daniel Nestor (5)
Shanghai
Novak Djokovic (4)
Marcelo Melo (3)
Paris
Novak Djokovic (4)
Bob Bryan, Mike Bryan (4)
MAIDEN MASTERS: Seven players have won their first Masters 1000 title over the past 15 series events:
Alexander Zverev (2017 Rome)
Grigor Dimitrov (2017 Cincinnati)
Jack Sock (2017 Paris)
Juan Martin del Potro (2018 Indian Wells)
John Isner (2018 Miami)
Karen Khachanov (2018 Paris)
Dominic Thiem (2019 Indian Wells)
In the 78 ATP Masters 1000 events prior to 2017 Rome, six players won their first Masters 1000 title:
Jo-Wilfried Tsonga (2008 Paris)
Ivan Ljubicic (2010 Indian Wells)
Robin Soderling (2010 Paris)
David Ferrer (2012 Paris)
Stan Wawrinka (2014 Monte-Carlo)
Marin Cilic (2016 Cincinnati).
During the stretch from 2008 Madrid through 2017 Madrid, Novak Djokovic (26), Rafael Nadal (18), Andy Murray (13) and Roger Federer (12) combined to capture 69 of the 78 Masters 1000 titles (88.5%).
