The Santiago Bernabeu Stadium, famously known as a football temple, is set to transform into a dedicated training facility for ATP and WTA tennis professionals during the Madrid Open, commencing on April 20th.
Tournament organizers have announced plans to construct a temporary clay court inside Real Madrid’s iconic stadium. This unique setup will allow some of the biggest names in tennis to complete their training sessions, potentially in front of spectators.
Organizers emphasized that «establishing a clay court at one of the world’s most famous venues creates a unique interface.» This temporary court aims to provide ATP and WTA athletes with valuable additional training opportunities throughout the tournament weeks. The main competitions of the Madrid Open will, as usual, be held at the Caja Magica in the southern part of the Spanish capital.
The recently renovated Bernabeu Stadium has increasingly been utilized as a versatile, multi-functional arena. For instance, an NFL game is slated to take place there in November 2025. Previous instances of the stadium’s alternative usage have, at times, required Real Madrid to play several league matches away from home, leading to certain sporting challenges for the club.
However, not all multi-purpose plans have proceeded smoothly. Proposals for major concert series have been temporarily halted following complaints from local residents regarding noise pollution.