When the female tennis players head back to Spain’s capital for the Madrid Open this week, they may be forgiven for letting out a collective groan. A quick glance at the tournament’s history shows a litany of gaffes, accusations of inequality and a full-blown sexism row just last year. Not exactly a highlight of the calendar.
It may be a new year but those memories are still fresh. One insider says the tournament – which is a WTA 1000 event, offering one of the most prestigious titles of the year – attracts eyerolls from a number of top female players. “When something happens, and it always does, everyone will be like: ‘Classic Madrid,’” said a source close to the action.
