On Thursday 4 May the Caja Mágica hosts the Mutua Charity Tie Break Tens against domestic violence, an innovative competition format that brings together the best 16 players in the world, where the stars will battle it out for the crown in ten-point matches. Stan Wawrinka, Feliciano López, Maria Sharapova, Garbiñe Muguruza, Grigor Dimitrov and Simona Halep are just some of the names who will appear in the men’s and women’s competitions.
“It is a spectacular format. We will see the best players in the world in a very short space of time, in the same session. With just one ticket you can see 16 of the best players in the world”, says Ángel G. Muñiz, Cadena Cope’s tennis specialist. “It is very spectacular. I think the slogan ‘Every point counts’ is very fitting. It is true, every point that slips through your fingers is worth its weight in gold”.
Starting with the quarter finals, the fun competition system requires the players to be focused from the moment the first ball is struck. “The intensity demanded by tie-breaks is significant. And in the case of television, reducing the time is very important. Moreover, there are those who would rather watch a tie-break than five hours of tennis”, says Manuel Poyán, a Eurosport commentator.
“It is a great initiative to have a tournament where every point counts. Having a monetary prize fund helps create competitiveness”, states Fernando Carreño, Diario Marca’s tennis expert. In the Manolo Santana Stadium there will be 200,000 dollars up for grabs for the champion of each draw and the organisers will donate $100,000 to the fight against domestic violence. “Seeing such excitement concentrated in such a short space of time can be thrilling. In turn, the charity side of the event strengthens the commitment to the fight against domestic violence, a scourge that must be eliminated from our society”, adds Rafael Plaza, a journalist for El Español and Onda Cero.
“It is an attractive format that will get people involved and bring them to see a tournament with the same pull as many of the days in the Mutua Madrid Open”, says Juan López, a Cadena SER journalist. “It will be spectacular, above all for tennis fans, both in Madrid and elsewhere, as they can follow on television”. The event will be broadcast live on Teledeporte. “I think that having the chance to see 16 of the best players in the world, playing with the high intensity required by the format is incredible”, concludes Pablo Berraondo of Marca Plus.
“Mutua Charity Tie Break Tens, against domestic violence”
Time: 19:30 (gates open at 18:30)
Format: 10-point tie-break matches. Quarters, semis and final in the men’s and women’s competitions.
Participants: 8 players in the men’s competition and 8 in the women’s.
Confirmed men: Stan Wawrinka, Kei Nishikori, Feliciano López, Grigor Dimitrov, David Ferrer, Lucas Pouille and Fernando Verdasco. Just one player left to announce.
Confirmed women: Garbiñe Muguruza, Maria Sharapova, Simona Halep, Agniezska Radwanska, Johanna Konta, Madison Keys and Mónica Puig. Just one player left to announce.
Prize Money: $200,000 for each champion and $100,000 for the fight against domestic violence.
TV: The tournament will be broadcast live in Spain on Teledeporte.
Website: www.tiebreaktens.com
Ticket sales: www.entradas.com
Twitter: @TieBreakTens
Facebook: http://facebook.com/tiebreaktens
