Britain’s No.1. Johanna Konta, the 2012 Wimbledon runner-up Agnieszka Radwanska and big-hitting American Madison Keys have joined an all-star line-up of tennis players that will compete in the next Tie Break Tens event in Madrid (the Mutua Charity Tie Break Tens Madrid against domestic violence) on Thursday 4th May.
Konta, Radwanska and Keys join French Open champion Garbine Muguruza, former World No.1 Maria Sharapova, Olympic gold-medalist Monica Puig and World No.5 Simona Halep in an eight-player knockout field, with one more player still to be announced.
Konta, recent champion of the 2017 Miami Open, can’t wait to get stuck in to Tie Break Tens for the first time.
“I’m excited to have the opportunity to take part in Tie Break Tens for the first time – it’s going to be different and fast-moving with a lot of short tie-break matches in a short space of time. Tie-breaks provide so many vital, pressure-filled moments that can turn a match and even a tournament – that happened to me in the Miami quarterfinals when I managed to win a crucial tiebreak against Simona to stay in the tournament. So, to play an event full of 10-point tie-breaks will be fascinating – to see what tactics players use and who handles it the best. I’m looking forward to it.”
Radwanska has been a Top 10 fixture for many years and knows what it takes to win tie-breaks. She won one in the final of the WTA finals against Halep in 2015 – her biggest tournament victory to-date.
“I like the idea of playing a whole tournament in just three hours – it will be fast-moving, lots of quick matches and lots of tension,” said Radwanska. “I also like the idea of all of us staying on the the side of the court when the others are playing matches – it’s different and fun.”
Keys has one of the biggest serves and hardest-hitting games in the world. Will that be effective in Tie Break Tens?
“I like to think that my game suits Tie Break Tens well, so hopefully I can get on a roll! said Keys. “It will be difficult because there are so many great players in this event and it’s going to be about who executes their game the best in what is just a short sprint to the finish line. That’s what makes it fun and appealing though, and I can’t wait to be part of it.”
A men’s Tie Break Tens event will run alongside the women’s event, with the reigning US Open champion Stan Wawrinka, World No. 7 Kei Nishikori, Grigor Dimitrov, the 2013 Roland Garros finalist David Ferrer, Feliciano Lopez, the 2009 Australian Open semi finalist Fernando Verdasco and Lucas Pouille – the 23-year-old Frenchman who beat Rafael Nadal at the US Open last year in the field. There is one more player still to be announced in the men’s line-up.
The tournament will feature a knock-out format of quarterfinals, semifinals and final, with each match taking the form of a first-to-ten point tie-break.
Each event will award a winner-take-all prize of $200,000, with an additional $100,000 going to the Mutua charity against domestic violence.
The tournament, which will be held in the Caja Mágica, will be Broadcast live on Teledeporte TVE in Spain.
The first two Tie Break Tens events took place in London and Vienna. Andy Murray reached the finals of both, beaten by Kyle Edmund and Dominic Thiem respectively.
Mutua Charity Tie Break Tens Madrid, against domestic violence
Play begins: 19:30 (doors open at 18:30)
Men’s tournament players confirmed to-date: Stan Wawrinka, Kei Nishikori, Feliciano López, Grigor Dimitrov, David Ferrer and Fernando Verdasco.
Women’s tournament players confirmed to-date: Garbiñe Muguruza, Maria Sharapova, Simona Halep and Mónica Puig.
Format: Quarter-finals, semi-finals and final.
Prize Money: $200,000 for the champions, $100,000 to be donated to charity organizations working against domestic violence.
TV: The tournament will be broadcast live on Spanish television via Teleporte.
