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Power Outage Disrupts Madrid Open: Chaos and Reflection
Mirra Andreeva, a standout among young tennis players over the past two years, found herself in an unexpected situation on a surreal Monday at Caja Mágica. While serving for a decisive win against Ukrainian qualifier Yulia Starodubtseva in the fourth round, the match was interrupted by a significant power outage affecting Spain, Portugal, and other nearby regions, leading to a postponement of play in Madrid.
As the tournament paused, Andreeva and Starodubtseva were given the option to continue their match, but under unusual conditions: the electronic line-calling system was offline, and no line umpires were available. This meant they had to revert to self-officiating, reminiscent of their junior circuit days. Under this sudden pressure, Andreeva managed to compose herself.
“It was 15-40 on my serve, and I was like: ‘Oh, Mirra. Just please, please do everything in your power to just take this game and finish this match,’” she recounted with a laugh. “I knew that if it went to 5-5, we’d probably have to pause again, and I wasn’t keen on waiting.”
Maintaining her focus, Andreeva rallied from a double break point down to secure her victory. Nearby, Coco Gauff experienced a similar stroke of luck, having been engaged in a post-match interview following her impressive win when the power outage hit. Ironically, she had chosen to be the second match scheduled, later expressing gratitude to WTA officials for not accommodating her request.
“So far, the toughest thing has been not being able to shower after my match. There’s no running water, so I just had to use baby wipes, spray some perfume, and call it a day,” Gauff shared an hour after her match. “I don’t even think we’ll be able to get back to the hotel since the traffic lights are out. It’s crazy how much we depend on electricity and really puts things into perspective, thinking about those who lived before it.”
Other competitors weren’t as fortunate. Grigor Dimitrov, seeded 15th, found his match against Britain’s Jacob Fearnley interrupted. He held a match point at 6-4, 5-2 before serving for the match a game later, only to leave the court as the updates unfolded.
Finding a secluded sunlit spot later, Dimitrov reflected on the whimsicality of the situation, chuckling to himself at the absurdity of it all.
“At this point, this is a situation where you just have to laugh,” Gauff remarked. “You can always remember the day the power went out at the Madrid Open.”
As the city of Madrid descended into chaos, this disruption was palpable within the grounds of Caja Mágica. The predominantly underground design of the venue resulted in many areas being cast into complete darkness. Spectators gathered in communal areas, their movements illuminated only by the faint glow of mobile phone screens.
Fortunately for the players, staff quickly brought in candles, providing some light to the players’ dining and relaxation areas. The atmosphere morphed throughout the hours following the outage; initially, players warmed up in total darkness before later congregating on the floor to chat or access their devices. Eventually, massage tables emerged, as players turned to physiotherapy to pass the time.
“I was in the gym, and it’s super dark; everyone is using phone flashlights. But it’s kind of fun because everyone is talking to each other, and the vibe is more relaxed,” Andreeva noted.
As the realization set in that the day’s play would conclude without further matches, players scrambled for transportation home, forming a line reminiscent of the famed Wimbledon queues. Requests were jotted down with pen and paper due to the infrastructure’s difficulties. With traffic lights out, some faced a three-hour wait for a vehicle, while others opted for a one- to two-hour walk. For many, the prospect of an evening without digital distractions felt liberating.
“If you take my phone away, I’m completely fine spending time without it,” Andreeva stated, who will turn 18 on Tuesday. “The only thing I need my phone for right now is a flashlight.”
Source
www.theguardian.com