There’s something about the Madrid Open that is just special in the best way possible. Every tennis tournament has a distinct feeling about them, and Madrid is no different. Maybe it’s the clay circuit. Maybe it’s the venue itself, the iconic Caja Mágica (the “Magic Box”), with its retractable roof panels and Manzanares Park right outside.
Whatever it is, Friday the 24th was a proper day of tennis. Day Four of the 2026 Mutua Madrid Open, and the tournament was fully alive. We were fortunate enough to receive tickets to the morning session and got to witness two major matches – one for the WTA and one for the ATP tournaments.
The women were up first as we watched the world’s number 2 battle it out with the 104th ranked player. The second round always has a different energy. The qualifiers and first-round survivors have done their jobs — now the big names are stepping onto the clay, and the crowd knows it. It was very interesting to witness the difference in audience behaviour in comparison to football and the Bernabéu. And also the difference in audience behaviour between the WTA and ATP matches.
World No. 1 on the men’s side, Jannik Sinner, came in riding a remarkable streak: four consecutive ATP Masters 1000 titles. He hasn’t just been good — he’s been dominant in a way that’s starting to feel historic.
It was my first time at a tennis tournament other than Wimbledon and whilst it felt very different in some regards I very much enjoyed myself and can only recommend going if you ever get the chance.
