Tennis fans recently reacted to GarbiƱe Muguruza’s appointment as co-director of the Madrid Open, a role she will share with Feliciano LĆ³pez. LĆ³pez has been the tournament director since 2019, when he succeeded Manolo Santana.
Muguruza, who turned professional in 2012, has won two Grand Slam titles: the 2016 French Open and the 2017 Wimbledon Championships. She also secured the 2021 WTA Finals championship and reached the world No. 1 ranking in the WTA. She played her last professional singles match in January 2023 and officially retired from the sport in April 2024.
Fans React to GarbiƱe Muguruza Becoming Madrid Open Co-Director
Muguruza’s best result at the Madrid Open came in doubles, where she finished as the runner-up alongside Carla SuĆ”rez Navarro in 2014 and 2015. The decision to appoint Muguruza as co-director was made by tournament CEO Gerard Tsobanian. Speaking about her new role at the Madrid Open, the former world No. 1 expressed:
“Taking on the co-directorship of the Mutua Madrid Open is a tremendous honor. My goal, together with Feliciano, will be to help Madrid remain a leading example in the world of tennis. I am very excited to work on a project that is committed to equality between men and women, including in decision-making positions.”
The announcement of Muguruza’s appointment as co-director of the Madrid Open drew a variety of reactions from tennis fans, who took to social media to share their thoughts. Some fans brought up the controversies the tournament faced in recent years.
At the 2023 Madrid Open, after Coco Gauff and Jessica Pegula finished as runners-up to Victoria Azarenka and Beatriz Haddad Maia, they were not allowed to speak during the trophy ceremony. This decision drew criticism from fellow players and fans alike, leading CEO Tsobanian to apologize to the players.
In the same year, the Madrid Open organizers faced backlash for presenting very different birthday cakes to Carlos Alcaraz and Aryna Sabalenka, who celebrated their birthdays on May 5. The Spaniard received an elaborate two-tiered cake, while Sabalenka was given a small one.
In 2023, the Madrid Open faced criticism for replacing ball kids dressed in shorts and t-shirts with models wearing miniskirts and crop tops. Following the backlash, the outfits of the ball girls were changed to loose-fitting capris and crop tops. It is worth noting that the ball girls were only seen during the men’s matches on the center court of the La Caja MĆ”gica Stadium. These incidents fueled criticism of the tournament regarding issues of misogyny.
Reacting to Muguruza’s new role, one fan expressed that they expect much more from the tournament now, especially considering some of LĆ³pez’s previous decisions did not sit well with them.
“Muguruza stepping in as co-director makes me expect so much more from the Madrid Open, especially given how dumb Felicianoās decisions tend to be,” a fan posted.
Another fan mentioned that with Muguruza as co-director of the Madrid Open, WTA players will receive greater respect both on and off the court, alluding to the incidents involving Gauff, Pegula, and Sabalenka.
“Maybe now the @WTA players will be respected more on and off court @MutuaMadridOpen with @GarbiMuguruza as co-director?” a fan wrote.
“Trust this ladyyyyy please be the change we need. Do it for the legacy GarbiƱe ā¤ļø,” a fan posted.
“Good idea! Hopefully the female players and staff will notice an improvement next year š,” a fan wrote.
“Equal cake sizes now?” a fan posted.
Looking ahead, the 2026 Madrid Open is scheduled to take place from April 20 to May 3, with Casper Ruud and Sabalenka entering the tournament as the defending champions in the men’s and women’s singles, respectively.
