The Madrid Open is one of seven ATP Masters events taking place over a 12-day period.
The event, held from April 21 and May 3, was expanded to the 12-day format in 2023 alongside the Italian Open and Shanghai Masters.
Of the nine Masters 1000 events, only the Monte Carlo Masters and Paris Masters remain as week-long tournaments.
Which of these players have concerned you the most in Madrid?
Coco Gauff, Alex de Minaur, Iga Swiatek and Ben Shelton all suffered early exits in Spain 😬
The expanded Masters 1000 format has drawn criticism from a number of players on the ATP Tour, including Carlos Alcaraz and Arthur Fils.
Daniel Vallverdu, the former coach of Andy Murray, has now offered his opinion on the expanded format.
Daniel Vallverdu calls for Madrid Open format change
Coach Daniel Vallverdu, who has worked with Andy Murray, Tomas Berdych and Grigor Dimitrov, has called for the Madrid Open to reduce its format back to a week-long event.
The Venezuelan, who also coached Stan Wawrinka between 2019 and 2022, has stated that the expanded format makes him ‘tired.’
“The Madrid Masters 1000 is one of my all time favourite tournaments of the year,” Vallverdu said in a post on X [formerly Twitter] on Monday.
“But the fact that I’m still watching round of 16 matches today with Rome and Roland Garros coming up…makes me tired.
“Imagine the players.”
- Indian Wells – EXPANDED
- Miami Open – EXPANDED
- Monte Carlo – remains a week-long event
- Madrid – EXPANDED
- Rome – EXPANDED
- Montreal / Toronto – EXPANDED
- Cincinnati – EXPANDED
- Shanghai – EXPANDED
- Paris Masters – remains a week-long event
Vallverdu added a hashtag to the post. It reads: ‘8DayMasters1000.’
Vallverdu is far from the first notable tennis figure to call for a return to week-long Masters 1000 events.
In April last year, Carlos Alcaraz said the week-long Masters events were ‘better for tennis.’
“The one-week ones are better. Some will think that in two weeks, there are days of rest, but that is not the case,” he said.
“You train, you have to mentally prepare for the game, prepare for it. You’re not resting, really. It’s two full weeks. That’s why I prefer the one-week Masters 1000. For me, it’s better for tennis.”
The stars are falling in Madrid
A number of the sport’s biggest stars have already exited the Madrid Open
Iga Świątek, Coco Gauff, Ben Shelton and Alex de Minaur have all suffered early exits in the Spanish capital, as have Felix Auger-Aliassime and Jessica Pegula.
Moreover, Carlos Alcaraz, perhaps the most well-recognised name on the professional circuit, withdrew ahead of the event due to a right wrist injury.
However, the sport’s two world number ones – Aryna Sabalenka and Jannik Sinner – remain in the event and will contest their next matches on Tuesday.
Sinner will face Cameron Norrie in the round of 16, while Sabalenka will play Hailey Baptiste for a spot in the semi-finals.
