Jannik Sinner and Iga Swiatek spent part of their practice week at an unconventional training site in Madrid: the Santiago Bernabeu Stadium. The venue was converted into a clay-court training surface for the ATP and WTA 1000 event, and players were able to use the club’s locker rooms while working there.

Real Madrid players Thibault Courtois, Jude Bellingham and Linda Caicedo joined 22-time major champion Rafael Nadal for on-court rallies with Sinner and Swiatek on Thursday. One memorable moment saw Nadal’s three-year-old son, Rafael Jr., pick up a racquet and hit a few balls as Sinner watched with a grin.

“Spectacular,” Nadal said of the experience. “You can’t ask for much more. Also, when this unique stadium was built it was designed for things like this to happen. Being able to play tennis in this place is something unique, and it will go down in history.

“It’s a venue that left an impression on me, and has a special place in sport.”

The Bernabeu seats 83,000 and completed a major renovation in 2024. The overhaul added a retractable roof and a retractable pitch system that allows the natural grass field to be divided into trays and stored underground in a climate-controlled environment. That infrastructure made the rapid conversion possible: the clay court was installed in less than two days, with work starting immediately after Real Madrid’s 2-1 home win over Deportivo Alaves on Tuesday evening and finishing in time for Thursday’s sessions.

Since reopening, the Bernabeu has hosted events including an official NFL game and stops on Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour. The tournament called the staging at the stadium “an historic step” that reaffirms Madrid’s capacity to host innovative initiatives with global reach. “The presence of a clay court in the Bernabeu not only meets an operational need for players, who will have a new training space fully integrated into the tournament dynamic, but also projects a powerful image of Madrid as a capital capable of reinventing its major sporting venues and connecting them with one another.”

Several players used the facility during the week, but Sinner indicated he plans to return to training at the Caja Magica for the remainder of the event. “No, no, no, no. I want to practice here,” he said after his opening win over Benjamin Bonzi. “But yesterday was a very interesting day. Seeing a court there in the Bernabéu was amazing. It was (my) first time going to the stadium…

“For me, it was nice to get (to know) Courtois and Bellingham in a personal point of view. They are incredibly humble, and at the top of the game for so many years already—two different players, obviously, and different ages.”

Casper Ruud’s connection to the Mutua Madrid Open has come full circle. His 2025 title win sent the Norwegian back to the place where a childhood 10th birthday left a lasting impression, a memory he described after his final-round victory over Jack Draper last May.

“I said I wanted to watch tennis, and Madrid was a good option. I have relatives who lived in Madrid, so we stayed with them and came for two days to watch the tennis,” he recalled.

“I remember I got Novak’s autograph, and I watched Rafa, Roger and Soderling. I also saw Tommy Haas practicing. I loved every minute watching the players play, with my grandmother. She has a photo of me and you can see the excitement on my face. It’s incredible, it’s a dream come true to have this trophy here.”

Ruud began his title defense on Saturday in emphatic fashion, defeating Jaume Munar 6-0, 6-1 in 66 minutes. Two guests of honor were in his box as he advanced with a dominant performance.

Keeping the family tradition alive, grandmother Liv returned to the Spanish capital this year and brought along her grandson Oscar for the boy’s 10th birthday experience. Casper first visited the Caja Mágica as a 10-year-old; Oscar followed that same choice for his own milestone.

Casper in 2009; Oscar with Liv in 2026.

Oscar’s day included meetings with several high-profile players. Among those he encountered were 2021 US Open champion Daniil Medvedev, Argentine No. 1 Francisco Cerundolo and Felix Auger-Aliassime. The Canadian is ranked No. 5, right behind Djokovic.

The visit doubled as a family moment and a glimpse at the tour for an aspiring young player. As Ruud continues his defence, the tournament has once again provided personal memories that tie the present to a formative childhood trip.

Arthur Fils recovered from a mid-match wobble to outlast Ignacio Buse, 6-7 (4), 7-6 (3), 7-5, in a second-round match at the Mutua Madrid Open. The 21-year-old Frenchman, fresh from capturing an ATP 500 title in Barcelona, needed almost three hours to complete the turnaround.

Fils admitted he “started to go crazy” after dropping an early break in the deciding set. At that moment his fitness coach, Lapo Becherini, intervened. “He told me shut the f*ck up!” laughed Fils as he recounted the scene to Prakash Amritraj.

““He tells me that. Then I’m starting to get mad and he tells me, ‘no, shut the f*ck up! It helped me. Then I started to be quiet and started to think more about the tennis.” After a period of silence and refocus, Fils immediately regained serve and then secured the decisive break to end the match after two hours and 52 minutes.

The victory extended a strong run for Fils this season. The 21-year-old won an ATP 500 in Barcelona, capping that event with wins over Lorenzo Musetti, Rafael Jodar and Andrey Rublev. Since returning from a lengthy back injury, Fils is 19-5 for the season.

Reflecting on form and temperament, Fils said, “When you feel good like this, especially on clay, it’s tough to beat me.” He also addressed balancing emotion and control: “In Barcelona, I found it pretty good. And it helped me. Today, I lost a big more. I dig deep a bit more. You gotta do what you gotta do to win.”

The match showcased Fils’s ability to steady himself under pressure and convert momentum late in close encounters. He moves on from Madrid having survived a tight three-set test and carried forward the confidence from his recent title run.