The 2017 edition of the Mutua Madrid Open is different from previous versions. There’s no Serena Williams, no Petra Kvitova, no Victoria Azarenka, but Maria Sharapova is back after sitting out last year due to a suspension. Can she deliver? With most of the big names out of the tournament, the spotlight falls on her to get the job done. If she wants to win the French Open, she has to show well here. Story lines abound in Spain for a wide-open tournament.
The competition in the 64-player main draw begins on Saturday, May 6.
Event Details
Event: Mutua Madrid Open
Category: WTA Tour – Premier Mandatory
Date: May 6 – 14, 2017
Location: La Caja Magica – Madrid, Spain
With a prize money allotment of just under 6 million Euros, the 1,000-point tournament is a gateway event of the season on the WTA Tour. This tournament leads to Rome, which then leads to Roland Garros. It’s a showcase event for the WTA and the part of the biggest five weeks of the clay-court season. It’s time for the top players to cash in and move up the rankings ladder.
Points
Champion – 1,000
Runner-up – 650
Semifinal – 390
Quarterfinal – 215
Round of 16 – 120
Round of 32 – 65
Former Champions and Results (5 Years)
Year Champion Runner-up Score
2016 – Simona Halep def. Dominika Cibulkova 6-2, 6-4
2015 – Petra Kvitova def. Svetlana Kuznetsova – 6-1, 6-2
2014 – Maria Sharapova def. Simona Halep – 1-6, 6-2, 6-3
2013 – Serena Williams def. Maria Sharapova – 6-1, 6-4
2012 – Serena Williams def. Victoria Azarenka – 6-1, 6-3
Player Info:
To everyone’s surprise, Angelique Kerber has been quiet in 2017. The second quarter of the season is already underway but she has failed to get going. After having a career-best year in 2016, in which she won two majors, reached one major final and racked up 63 wins, most thought she would continue her domination for at least one more year. Now the question is whether will she ever come back to her best level. Does she have belief after repeatedly losing to players ranked well below her?
Clay isn’t Karolina Pliskova’s best surface and it quickly became evident after her straight-set opening-round loss against Camila Giorgi in Prague. Pliskova made the quarterfinals in Stuttgart, where she fought hard but went down to Laura Siegemund in a tight three-setter. It’s hard to expect big things from Pliskova on clay but she could surprise in Madrid.
For Simona Halep, there may never be a better time to take charge on the WTA Tour. Yes, she lost to Siegemund in the semifinals in Stuttgart but she shouldn’t brood over that loss too much. With Serena Williams absent, Kerber yet to find her groove, Pliskova yet to come to terms with clay, and Petra Kvitova still out, Halep should feel like she is the best player out there. Does she believe she has the best chance?
Elina Svitolina secured her third title of the season by beating Elise Mertens in straight sets in Istanbul. Svitolina has often remained under the radar but this year she has started to make noise. The Ukrainian is quickly spreading her wings as a tennis player and could very well be a dark horse for the French Open. While the focus is on Sharapova, Kerber and Pliskova, Svitolina could be the name you’ll have to be wary of in Madrid.
The return to tennis didn’t go all that wrong for Maria Sharapova. The Russian star cruised past Roberta Vinci in her much-hyped first match in straight sets and further went on to make the Stuttgart semifinals without dropping a set. Sharapova’s run was finally ended there by Kristina Mladenovic of France, who looked inspired in her three-set victory. Madrid has been kind to grant its former champion a wild card, but can Sharapova win the title again? Sharapova certainly hasn’t forgotten how to play tennis, but is she ready to get back in the winner’s circle?
La Caja Magica
The Magic Box was built by tennis entrepreneur and Boris Becker’s former manager, Ion Tiriac. The Romanian took this tournament to clay. It had been played as a Masters event for the men on hardcourts through 2008. The arrival of Madrid as a clay event created one of the dual-gender weeks on tour. Both the men and the women play in Madrid this week.
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