Martínez-Almeida: “Mutua is a city event, perhaps the most significant sporting event in Madrid”
MADRID, 24 Abr. (EUROPA PRESS) –
The Spanish tennis player Carlos Alcaraz is clear that he does not see himself with “more responsibility” this year at the Mutua Madrid Open, the fourth Masters 1000 of the season and in which he defends the title, and that his objective will be to “try to enjoy” on the court and take advantage of the “unique feeling” of playing at home.
The current champion, accompanied by the Tunisian Ons Jabeur, dropped at the last minute and who will not be able to defend his crown in the WTA 1000, attended the presentation of the Madrid tournament this Monday, which already started with its previous phase and which will begin this Tuesday in the Caja Mágica to the matches of the women’s main draw. The event opens this year 2023 its expansion to two weeks and the presence of more players, 96 in each of the individual draws.
“I’m a ‘little’ tired, but already thinking about this tournament. I have no more responsibility, I have to try to enjoy and make people enjoy, we have to take that pressure off and not think about all the people who are watching us,” said Alcaraz, who this Sunday he successfully defended his title at the Barcelona Open Banc Sabadell-Conde de Godó Trophy.
The Murcian recalled that “always” motivates him to play in front of his “family and friends” and that it is “a joy” to play in front of his people and “in Spain”. In this sense, he believes that Madrid “is different” compared to the other tournaments on the calendar. “For me it’s a unique feeling, I’m at home and feeling that on the track is something unique,” he said.
The number two in the world, who will start as the first seed due to the loss of the Serbian Novak Djokovic, assured that since his triumph in the Magic Box last year he has only changed in the “experience” he now possesses. “I’ve grown as much as a player as a person, but I haven’t changed much either in my professional or personal life, I’m still the same. The biggest change is the maturity I’ve gained this year,” he said.
The mayor of Madrid, José Luis Martínez-Almeida, was also present at the tournament presentation ceremony, held in the Plaza de Colón, who was “extremely happy”. “This is one of those city events, perhaps the most significant at a sporting level and from the point of view of international repercussion we are behind the four ‘Grand Slams'”, he warned.
For the councilor, the city is an “unbeatable showcase for a city and for sports practice” because it meets “all the conditions to host sporting events.” “It’s a great city and I want to thank the work of Gerard Tsobanian (CEO of the Mutua Madrid Open) because otherwise it would have been impossible to reach levels of excellence,” he said.
“Madrid is a very good city, with a love for sport present in its day-to-day life, and Mutua is a unique opportunity to make it known through tennis. The impact in economic terms is very good and that is why we are extending our agreement in ten years that we are going to take advantage of to build a new tennis court to have a greater capacity, more matches and more tennis players and to continue growing because the return is extraordinarily important”, he sentenced.
FELICIANO LÓPEZ: “THE LAST STEP WAS FOR IT TO TAKE TWO WEEKS”
Feliciano López, director of the tournament, also expressed his happiness, who celebrated that “finally” they have managed to make it “two weeks”. “It was the last step that the tournament needed to finish growing and reach the proposed goals. It was the dream of our beloved Ion (Tiriac),” he stressed.
“These are two weeks of great tennis, we are reaching our limits of growth. The tournament has gone through many stages in these 21 years, all very beautiful, and it will continue until 2031, for now,” added the tennis player from Toledo, who gave thanks to the City Council and, above all, to Mutua Madrileña “for their support for so many years”. “We feel very lucky to have you,” he stressed.
Finally, Ignacio Garralda, president of Mutua Madrileña, sponsor of the event for 17 years, assured that they are “enthusiastic” with this support. “We have renewed and for a private company, doing it for five years is a lot, but we will surely renew again,” he commented.
“This is a unique event, which has had enormous progression and where its organizers are already well rounded. In addition, we are lucky to have two sporting phenomena like Carlos (Alcaraz) and Rafa (Nadal), who is the dream of any sponsor. Apart from football, this is the biggest sporting event in Spain, but it is also a social event because 300,000 people gather,” the manager concluded.