Roger Federer, Andy Murray, and Maria Sharapova, it has been criticized by world champion Raphael Nadal. Nadal, the 2005 Madrid Open winner and 10 time Grand Slam champion, will no longer be donning the knee brace he has worn since the latest flareup of his recurring tendinitis. He is the local favorite to win the tournament.

Nadal, who is considered by many to be the world’s best clay player, thinks that the sudden switch to blue clay could adversely affect his training for the French Open, as well as the rest of clay court season. He had surprisingly harsh words on the subject, saying that the only person who would benefit from it was the tournament owner, billionaire and former Romanian ATP player Ion Tiriac. Other criticism came from top-ranked Novak Djokovic, who says that the court alters a player’s perception of how the ball will bounce.

Interestingly, though the court material was produced in the exact same way as the red court, at least one player, 23rd ranked Canadian player Milos Raonic, has cited increased slickness and decreased bounce. If this is true, it will factor in to an already changed game pace, accelerated by the thin air of Madrid’s elevated altitude.

The Madrid Open is the only tournament in in Europe that features both men and women. It is played inside the Caja Magica, one of the more astonishing pieces of architecture in sports. The corresponding City of Tennis is Madrid features three indoor/outdoor courts that can seat 20,000 spectators. While no one is quite sure what exactly triggered the push for a clay color change by owner Tiriac, organizers say the new color will allow viewers to better follow the ball. It is certainly a noteworthy addition to the clay court season, though spectators may miss the now customary sight of Raphael Nadal staining his apparel with red clay streaks.

Related Articles

• Novak Djokovic: Red Clay Seems Like Paradise! – May 15, 2012
• What Colour Clay Will Be Used at the Madrid Masters? – April 30, 2012
• Roger Federer Ends Rafael Nadal’s Winning Streak in Madrid Masters Final – May 18, 2009
• Roger Federer Outfit for Madrid and Rome 2012 – April 2, 2012
• Rafael Nadal Does Some Press Photos with Cristiano Ronaldo and Raul in Madrid – May 14, 2010

Rafael Nadal: “The history of the clay court season was on red, it wasn’t on blue. . .”

Novak Djokovic: “Sometimes change is good. I like innovative and creative people. But, on the other hand, it’s going to be the only blue clay-court tournament in the world, first time ever in history. To be honest with you. . . I never played on blue clay. Rafa didn’t. Roger didn’t. We’re going on there and we’re going to play for the first time ever. We don’t even know if it’s a natural blue clay because natural clay is a red clay. I’m not really too happy about it.”

Andy Murray: “For the players, it would be better for it to be on the red clay. But at the same time, I’ve watched sometimes in Madrid. It’s very difficult to see the ball. I understand the reasons for doing it.”

We have yet to know what Roger Federer thinks about this change, and I wonder if his opinion will be positive or negative, and whether, based on all of these opinions from top players, the tournament will change back to red clay in a matter of years…

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• ‘Smurf’ Blue Clay Court at the 2012 Madrid Open – May 5, 2012
• Roger Federer Ends Rafael Nadal’s Winning Streak in Madrid Masters Final – May 18, 2009
• Novak Djokovic: Red Clay Seems Like Paradise! – May 15, 2012
• Roger Federer Outfit for Madrid and Rome 2012 – April 2, 2012
• Roger Federer Withdraws from Monte Carlo Masters Event – March 23, 2012

John Isner has been playing some great tennis of late, but he just announced he will be pulling out of the Monte Carlo ATP Masters event next week.

“I will go back home [to Florida after Houston] and work with my coach, Craig Boynton,” Isner told reporters. “I need to get in better shape if I want to do good in these next two majors coming up and Masters events [in Madrid and Rome]. I need to be in better shape, put my head down, go back to work and get my body right.”

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• Roger Federer Withdraws from Monte Carlo Masters Event – March 23, 2012
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• Andy Murray Interview at Monte Carlo 2012 Masters – April 23, 2012

Roger Federer has withdrawn from the 2012 Monte Carlo ATP Masters event in April. Roger has decided to take a little break with the aim to be fresh and ready for Roland Garros.

Hopefully Roger can have a strong clay court season.

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• What Colour Clay Will Be Used at the Madrid Masters? – April 30, 2012
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• Roger Federer Ends Rafael Nadal’s Winning Streak in Madrid Masters Final – May 18, 2009
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Federer heads into the French Open in a week’s time with a huge confidence boost after finally defeating the man who stripped him of his Wimbledon title last summer.

Nadal, who had won clay-court titles in Monte Carlo, Barcelona and Rome this year, was visibly jaded from his semi-final the day before, when he needed over four hours to defeat Novak Djokovic. It was one match too many for the top seed, who was unable to squeeze motivation or power out of a weary body after complaining of problems with his knees in that marathon encounter.

“I think this (fast clay) favoured Roger,” said Nadal, who has won nine of 11 clay meetings against his rival.

“He deserved this victory more than I did. He played well. I wasn’t able to play aggressively enough.”

Nadal and Federer, who have contested the last three French Open finals, both head to Paris with the Spaniard hoping to regain his powers after playing and winning for three of the last four weeks on his favoured surface.

Federer won €585,000 ($1.05 million) and a car as he extracted some revenge in the pair’s first meeting since the Australian Open final five months ago which ended with him reduced to tears.

“I’m sorry to have beaten a Spaniard on your court, I’m sorry to spoil the party,” he told tournament director and former great Manolo Santana on the showcase court named in his honour.

The Spaniard’s defeat was only his fifth on clay over 155 matches dating back to 2005.

Related Articles

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• What Colour Clay Will Be Used at the Madrid Masters? – April 30, 2012
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• Rafael Nadal Does Some Press Photos with Cristiano Ronaldo and Raul in Madrid – May 14, 2010
• Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal in Forbes most powerful celebs list – May 18, 2012

Reasons include:

• Tour Calendar (Rome should happen after Madrid, instead of vice versa)
• Court Colour (courts are now bright blue away from the traditional orange clay colour)
• Thinking they are the 5th Grand Slam

I really think Raphael is actually right about all those points. Madrid seems to be making a lot of changes this year and it doesnt seem like any of them is for the better.

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• Roger Federer Ends Rafael Nadal’s Winning Streak in Madrid Masters Final – May 18, 2009
• Models Ball Girl At The Madrid Masters Event Yet Again This Year – October 17, 2008

Safin, a former top-ranked player and a three-time champion at the Paris tournament, wants a long break before making a decision.

“I don’t know what happened. Just couldn’t find my rhythm and couldn’t find the game,” the 28-year-old Russian said. “I need to think everything through. I have no pressure and I have nothing to prove or show. I just want to be comfortable with my decision, whatever I will take.”

Former world No. 1 Marat Safin said he’s going to evaluate his future in tennis after his first-round loss.

Safin managed only 12 points in the first set and trailed 2-0 in the second after just 24 minutes. In the first service game of the second set, Safin had four double faults before breaking back to 2-2.

“I need to sit down and relax and just enjoy my life without any tennis [for] a couple of months and then I will see,” Safin said. “If I feel like I want to continue to play, I will. If not, it will be over.”

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• French Open Exhibition Event – May 24, 2012
• ‘Smurf’ Blue Clay Court at the 2012 Madrid Open – May 5, 2012
• What Colour Clay Will Be Used at the Madrid Masters? – April 30, 2012
• John Isner Pulls Out of Monte Carlo Master to Train More in Florida – April 13, 2012
• Richard Gasquet and an Aston Martin – April 5, 2012

Feminism, whats that? I think most females probably don’t like the idea, however it seems to be having a great promotional affect for the tournament. It is kinda portraying a more fun side of tennis.

I still really believe that the ATP and WTA tour are doing such a poor job at marketing and building the sport. Models as ball girls is probably not the best idea in the world, but at least it is giving tennis and tournament a bit more press and stands them out from the rest of the crowd. These types of ideas are only going to help give tennis more exposure and obviously more exposure means more money for everyone involved.

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• Lindsay Davenport To Commentate at BNP Paribas Open at Indian Wells – February 26, 2009
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• Rogers Cup (Toronto Masters Event), Who Will Reach The Semis? – July 21, 2008
• ‘Smurf’ Blue Clay Court at the 2012 Madrid Open – May 5, 2012
• What Colour Clay Will Be Used at the Madrid Masters? – April 30, 2012

If you want to see more tennis masters series action, then please head over to their website, atpmastersseries.tv.

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• Models Ball Girl At The Madrid Masters Event Yet Again This Year – October 17, 2008
• ‘Smurf’ Blue Clay Court at the 2012 Madrid Open – May 5, 2012
• What Colour Clay Will Be Used at the Madrid Masters? – April 30, 2012
• Rafael Nadal Does Some Press Photos with Cristiano Ronaldo and Raul in Madrid – May 14, 2010
• Roger Federer Ends Rafael Nadal’s Winning Streak in Madrid Masters Final – May 18, 2009