If this Quarantine is showing us anything, it’s the fact that if there’s a will, there’s a way. It all started with an Instagram chat, but many fans tuned in to watch tennis pro’s battle it out in the digital Madrid Open on Playstation 4. Makes you feel less lazy playing video games for hours now, doesn’t it?
The Madrid Open, also known as the Mutua Madrid Open, is a joint (men and women) tennis tournament held at the beginning of May every year in Madrid, Spain. In 2002, the famed tennis tournament was a men’s-only event, but this expanded to female professional tennis players in 2009. This is the first time in nearly twenty years that the event cannot be held, as La Caja Mágica (or the Magic Box) is temporarily closed due to the quarantine, or the temporary lockdown.
Like many other sports, the tennis season is suspended until at least mid-July. The foreseeable future is unclear in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, but that has not stopped the player’s passion for the game whatsoever. Instead, professional player like Rafael Nadal (Spain), Andy Murray (Britain), Johanna Konta (Britain), Denis Shapovalov (Canada), David Ferrer (Spain) and 20-something other ATP (Association of Tennis Professionals) and WTP (Women’s Tennis Association) member’s joined together in the fun.
Instead, player’s turned from their calorie-incinerating activities to their couches as they battled against each other on Playstation 4’s Tennis World Tour video game for the (first time ever) Madrid Open Virtual Pro titles.
According to BBC, “There will be 16 men, 16 women, two knockout singles tournaments – all played in a digital representation of the Spanish capital’s Manolo Santana Stadium.”
Feliciano López, the Madrid Open Tour director, said about the event:
“This idea is based on two things: firstly, to give something to the fans while they are at home and let them watch their favourite players. And secondly, to help players who are struggling right now.”
The tournaments earnings are about 150,000 euros right now, which will be distributed by the champion into “relief funds set up to support lower-ranked players whose incomes have dried up during the pandemic.”
Tune in here to follow the exciting event! The game is also available on Amazon right now for $25.68. Currently, Rafael Nadal (who has won the Madrid Open five times already) is leading Group 1 to victory in the Virtual competition against Canadian Denis Shapovalov after Day 1. If the music world is your jam, read here to find out about Post Malone’s Nirvana tribute show live-streamed on his personal YouTube channel. Stay safe, folks!
