Play at the Madrid Open tennis tournament was abruptly suspended on Monday, April 28, 2025, due to a widespread power outage affecting Spain and Portugal. The outage struck at 12:34 p.m. local time (1034 GMT), leaving players and spectators in the dark and forcing the ATP to cancel ongoing matches.
At the time of the blackout, Grigor Dimitrov was leading Jacob Fearnley 6-4, 5-4 in a round of 32 match at the Manolo Santana Stadium. The power failure rendered electronic line calling systems inoperative and left a spider cam dangling dangerously above the court, prompting officials to halt play. "The nationwide power cut experienced in Spain on Monday 28 April has forced the cancellation of both the day and night sessions," the Madrid Open posted on X (formerly Twitter).
Matteo Arnaldi was also in the midst of his match against Damir Dzumhur, leading 6-3, 3-2 when the outage occurred. While some players attempted to keep practicing, the atmosphere was tense as fans and officials awaited updates on the situation.
Earlier in the day, two fourth-round women’s matches had concluded just before the power outage. Coco Gauff, the fourth seed, defeated Belinda Bencic 6-4, 6-2, while Mirra Andreeva overcame Yuliia Starodubtseva 6-1, 6-4. Gauff later shared a humorous post on Instagram, showing her in a dark locker room illuminated only by an emergency light, stating, "No power where the showers are. So I'm about to take a shower and I'll let you all know how it goes."
Meanwhile, Iga Swiatek, the second-ranked player in the world, was scheduled to face Diana Shnaider later in the day. However, with the power outage affecting the entire facility, her match was postponed. Swiatek was spotted sitting in the dark players' lounge, conversing with her team as they waited for updates.
Spanish power grid operator Red Electrica confirmed that the Iberian peninsula was impacted by the outage, which affected not just the tennis tournament but also traffic lights, oil refineries, and some airports. Local media reported that the blackout had left parts of Madrid without power, impacting a population of over 50 million people.
As the day progressed, frustration mounted amongst players and fans alike. One fan tweeted, "That is a really strange interruption," while another lamented, "Is this some type of joke at this level?" Others were quick to criticize the event's organization, with comments like, "No power back up. This event is a joke!" and "Master 1000 tournaments with no energy generator… Shameful." However, some defended the tournament, pointing out that the outage was a national issue beyond the control of the event organizers.
The power cut also had a significant impact on the women’s singles draw, where all 16 remaining players were scheduled to compete. Two of the eight fourth-round matches were completed before the blackout hit, but many others were left in limbo. The top two seeds in the women’s singles, Aryna Sabalenka and Iga Swiatek, were both set to play later in the day, but their matches were postponed due to the unforeseen circumstances.
In a related incident, Matteo Arnaldi's match against Damir Dzumhur was temporarily suspended due to the power outage, but it was later completed with Arnaldi winning 6-3, 6-4. He had previously made headlines for upsetting Novak Djokovic in an earlier round, showcasing his rising talent on the ATP circuit.
As officials worked to restore power, the ATP and WTA tours faced an unexpected challenge in Madrid. The Madrid Open, a prestigious ATP Masters 1000 and WTA 1000 event, is known for its vibrant atmosphere and high-stakes matches, making the power outage all the more disappointing for players and fans alike.
In the shadow of this incident, the tournament's future remains uncertain. While the ATP Tour is gearing up for the French Open, scheduled to start in late May, the immediate focus is on resolving the power issues and ensuring the safety of players and spectators.
As the day continued, reports indicated that Spanish authorities were assessing the situation and working closely with energy companies to restore power across the affected regions. The hope is that the outage would be resolved swiftly, allowing the Madrid Open to resume without further interruptions.
For now, the tennis world watches closely as the Madrid Open navigates this unprecedented challenge. Players, fans, and organizers alike are left waiting for clarity on when play will resume and how this will impact the tournament's schedule moving forward.
As the situation develops, the Madrid Open remains a focal point of international tennis, with the eyes of the sporting world keenly observing how officials will handle this setback.
