The power went out early Monday afternoon in Madrid, just as Mirra Andreeva was serving for her match. The outage occurred at a crucial moment.
“It was 15-40 on my serve,” Andreeva later recounted to reporters. “I urged myself, `Mirra, please, do everything possible to win this game and end the match.` I knew that if the score became 5-5, we would likely face a delay.”
Coco Gauff had already secured her victory against Belinda Bencic, winning 6-4, 6-2. She was in the middle of her post-match interview when the microphone failed. Security quickly escorted her back to the players’ lounge.
Gauff commented, “It was pitch-black, and I quickly understood that the power was out. I initially thought it was just our area, but then I realized it affected the whole country – that`s truly unbelievable.”
It turned out the outage wasn`t limited to Spain but impacted a large part of Europe, affecting millions. While the initial cause was unknown, early reports suggested issues with the European electric grid.
As a result, Andreeva, who eventually won her match against Yuliia Starodubtseva 6-1, 6-4 with the chair umpire calling the lines, and Gauff were the only players to successfully advance to the quarterfinals of the Mutua Madrid Open according to the original schedule. They are set to play each other later in the week.
Andreeva reflected on their previous meeting: “Last time I faced her on clay was Roland Garros 2023. The first set was close, but the rest of the match wasn`t competitive. She gave me no opportunities. But that was two years ago, so I’m very eager to see how differently I play now, not necessarily seeking revenge. I believe it will be an entertaining match.”
Andreeva has reached the quarterfinals in Madrid for the second consecutive year.
She stated, “This year, I will try to progress further. I am going to do everything in my power to win this.”
Despite the widespread disruption outside the venue, which saw internet services, rail systems, and airports shut down, a sense of camaraderie emerged among the players due to their shared experience.
Andreeva noted, “Everyone is using phone flashlights, but it’s also quite enjoyable because everyone is talking together; the atmosphere feels a bit more relaxed.”
Gauff echoed this sentiment: “I was thinking the exact same thing. Usually, we`re focused on preparing for matches, everyone is concentrating, and we respect that. I was chatting with Frances [Tiafoe], Mirra, Diana [Shnaider], Maddy [Keys]. This kind of situation is light-hearted; nobody knows when they’ll be able to play.”
“This is my first experience with a blackout,” said Andreeva, who was glad to have a book and Uno cards to help pass the time. “It’s actually kind of exciting because I’ve never been through anything like this. I’m extremely happy that they scheduled me first so I could finish everything on time.
“But I really don’t want to stay here overnight and sleep in the gym. We`ll just have to wait and see what they tell us and proceed from there.”
Not all players were as fortunate. Grigor Dimitrov, for example, was serving for his match against qualifier Jacob Fearnley in Manolo Santana Stadium when play was suspended.
Gauff remarked, “That’s tennis, that’s life. I feel like in this moment, it’s a situation you can only laugh at, especially if I had been on court. It`s likely something that will never happen again, and we will always remember the day the power went out at the Madrid Open.”
On the previous Sunday, Gauff had actually requested her match be placed second in the order of play.
“But I’m glad that request wasn’t granted,” she said with a laugh. “Big thanks to the WTA supervisors for making the correct decision for me.”
Gauff mentioned that the most immediate inconvenience at the time was the inability to shower after her match.
“There was no running water, so I just had to use baby wipes to clean myself,” Gauff explained, “and spray some perfume and call it done. I don’t even think we`ll be able to get back to the hotel because the traffic lights are out.
“It’s truly astonishing how much we depend on electricity. It’s completely insane and really puts things into perspective. It also makes me think about people before electricity and how impressive that was.”
Jasper Hawthorne 
Dominic Ashworth