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The 2025 Madrid Open suffered extreme consequences from a sudden power outage, with the likes of Iga Swiatek and Aryna Sabalenka waiting to take the court. The situation resulted in spectators storming out of the venue, with little to no light.
On Monday, April 28, the city of Madrid, alongside the majority of Spain, Portugal, and parts of the south of France, faced an unexpected blackout. The incident affected the ongoing ATP and WTA 1000 event, the Madrid Open.
Matches were already underway at Caja Magica in Manzanares Park when all electronic systems at the venue failed simultaneously. Coco Gauff and Mirra Andreeva were the only two winners who completed their matches, while the likes of Grigor Dimitrov, Jacob Fearnley, Damir Dzumhur, and Matteo Arnaldi were forced to stop mid-match.
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It didn’t take long for spectators at Manolo Santana and Arantxa Sanchez stadiums to rush out. They were, however, left to scramble in the dark, with many fans resorting to their phone torches to get out of the venue safely. The tournament's staff also appeared to assist them out of the darkness.
Check the pictures and videos shared by the fans on-site:
The catastrophic failure is reported to have been the result of grid faults. Besides the Madrid Open, several airports, train stations, and various other services in Spain, Portugal, and France have also been affected.
Almost three hours after the power outage, as of 3:45 PM local time, the tournament has yet to resume play. The Madrid Open’s official social media page released a statement on X and assured that the fans will be timely updated about the situation.
"The #MMOPEN has been affected by the general power outage, we are working to restore normality as soon as possible. We will keep you informed through our social media channels," the statement, released at 1:57 PM local time, read.
Coco Gauff was left perplexed on court after Madrid Open power outage
Incidentally, Coco Gauff had just finished her fourth-round match against Belinda Bencic 6-4, 6-2, when the Madrid Open venue lost its power.
The American was in the middle of her post-match on-court interview when the mic suddenly stopped operating and she became inaudible, leaving her confused. The interview was abruptly called off thereafter, before the extent of the situation was uncovered.
Gauff is set to face Mirra Andreeva in the quarterfinals, with both players securing their wins before the suspension of play. Meanwhile, Iga Swiatek, the defending champion, has been made to wait for her match against Diana Shnaider on Manolo Santana Stadium. The winner faces either Madison Keys or Donna Vekic, who are scheduled to face off later in the day.
Top seed Aryna Sabalenka will also be in action against Peyton Stearns on April 28. The winner faces either Anastasia Potapova or Marta Kostyuk. Sabalenka is chasing her third trophy at the event after falling one win short of her title defense against Swiatek last year.
