Top seeds Rohan Bopanna and Matthew Ebden will begin their ATP 1000 Madrid Masters campaign against Sebastian Korda of USA and Jordan Thompson of Australia.
New Doubles format to debut in Madrid
The 2024 Mutua Madrid Open is experimenting with several changes:
- Increasing the Singles vs. Doubles action by reserving up to 16 slots in the 32-team draw for teams based on their singles ranking. This innovation promises a surge in matchups between top doubles and singles players, crafting intriguing storylines for fans.
- Adopting a streamlined schedule spanning five days, from Tuesday to Saturday, during Week Two of the tournament. This adjustment aims to offer a clearer and more efficient schedule for both fans and players.
- Introducing a reduced shot clock to hasten the pace of play and minimize downtime. After rallies shorter than four shots, the time between points will be slashed to 15 seconds (while rallies of four or more shots will allow 25 seconds).
- Implementing quicker changeovers with fewer sit-downs to expedite the pace of play.
- Permitting free movement for fans within the arena during matches, enhancing the convenience of the on-site experience.
Ebden instrumental in bringing this change
Incidentally, Matt Ebden played an important part in bringing this trial to life. Ebden, who is the President of the ATP Player Advisory Council, said – “Doubles has so much to offer fans and the atmosphere it can create when presented in the right way is phenomenal. That said, we as players recognise that more needs to be done to put our best foot forward. I’d like to commend my colleagues from across the ATP for taking this on and adding great new concepts into the mix. A lot of time, thought and care has gone into this process, and it’s been a privilege to play my part.”
Bopanna/Ebden finalists last year
Bopanna/Ebden made the finals in the tournament’s last edition, where they lost to the all-Russian pairing of Andrey Rublev and Karen Khachanov in a tight three set match. They will look to go one better this year.
