The reason Rafael Nadal considered skipping the 2012 Madrid Open
Photo By Oscar J. Barroso/Europa Press via Getty Images Rafael Nadal finished his career with an impressive haul of five Madrid Open titles, a record that still stands as the most in tournament history. He picked up those wins in 2008, 2010, 2013, 2014, and 2017.
The “King of Clay” also finished with an overall win rate of over 83% in Madrid, which was his third-highest among all Masters events. In fact, he was so frustrated with conditions at the time that he publicly stated he might never return. Rafael Nadal frustrated by blue clay experiment at Madrid Open Photo by Graham Denholm/Getty Images In 2012, the Madrid Open organisers introduced blue clay, hoping it would make matches easier to follow on TV.
But the change was not well received, and Rafael Nadal was among its most outspoken critics. The surface didn’t just look different – players found it played differently too. Nadal felt it was slower and bouncier than traditional clay, a far cry from what he expected from a major stop on the clay-court circuit.
He made his feelings clear, saying at the time: “My thoughts haven’t changed on the concept and organisation of this tournament. My criticism is not directed at the tournament but at the ATP, which should never have allowed such a change at a tournament of this scale. ” Nadal also suggested that playing in Madrid wasn’t just about dealing with one-off conditions but adjusting to a setup that didn’t feel right for that part of the tour.
He said: “This is a clay-court event that is least like a clay-court event. There is always a chance of playing worse here. ” He went further, warning there could be consequences if changes weren’t made: “I only speak my mind for the good of the tour and the players so that we have a clay tournament with few problems.