The Mutua Madrid Open is starting to warm up its engines. With just 10 days to go until the tournament gets underway, the organisers have announced two new wild cards for the women’s main draw. Sara Sorribes and Paula Badosa, two of today’s most promising Spanish players will be playing in the fifteenth anniversary of the Mutua Madrid Open, which takes place in the Caja Mágica between 29 April and 8 May.
Sorribes and Badosa represent the future of women’s tennis in Spain. Both the young players, at 19 and 18 years of age respectively, have great potential to leave their mark in the immediate future to add to the current success stories of Spanish tennis.
Badosa, who came through qualifying in 2015, then played in the main draw but had to retire with an injury against Sara Errani. For her part, Sorribes has a special history with the tournament as she won the Under-18 Mutua Madrid Open in 2013. The news means that with Garbiñe Muguruza and Carla Suárez already having earned their places in the main draw, Sorribes and Badosa join them and Lara Arruabarrena, who was also given an invite to compete in the Caja Mágica.
Sorribes, who last weekend helped the Spanish Fed Cup team reach the World Group after beating Italy, was grateful for her reward: “I would like to thank the organisers of the Mutua Madrid Open for giving me an invite to the main draw. I am really excited about being able to play this tournament at home. I would also like to thank Dinara Safina for her confidence. See you soon in Madrid”.
Badosa also had a few words to say: “I would like to thank the Mutua Madrid Open for this wild card. I am really excited about playing again. I can’t wait to go back to my favourite tournament”.
Manolo Santana, Director of the Mutua Madrid Open, was enthusiastic about the chance the tournament wanted to give to the Spanish women: “The support for Sorribes and Badosa is a commitment to youth. We are responsible for helping young talent in our tennis in order to guarantee it is in good hands in the future. We are very excited about seeing Sara and Paula competing at home in a few days. They will give their all to play well, I have no doubt about that”.
The organisers also announced that Jaume Munar will be playing in the qualifying round of the Masters 1000 in Madrid thanks to an invite. Munar is another of the great hopes of Spanish tennis. At 18 years of age, the Mallorcan has a promising future ahead of him and in the Caja Mágica he has a great chance to demonstrate that.
The Mutua Madrid Open will announce the remaining wild cards (three in the ATP competition and one in the WTA) in the coming days. The invites to the tournament’s qualifying round, an alternative route to the main draw, will also be published.