MADRID, 9 Feb. (EUROPA PRESS) –
The 2021 edition of the Mutua Madrid Open, which will be held from April 27 to May 9 at the Caja Mágica, will have electronic review, becoming the first ATP Masters 1000 and WTA 1000 category tournament to have this possibility, have informed this Tuesday the organizers of the event.
The use of technology on clay – a surface that constantly changes throughout the game due to slipping, tread and weather conditions – developed by FOXTENN, was officially approved in November 2019 and is in a trial period in some ATP and WTA selected tournaments; arose to improve the accuracy of refereeing.
Initially, it had been established that the technology would debut at the Mutua Madrid Open 2020, but the debut had to be delayed after the tournament was canceled as a result of the coronavirus pandemic.
The tournament director, Feliciano López, confessed that they are “excited” about the incorporation of electronic review. “On the one hand, it will help the players to have this technology; on the other, its implementation in the tournament reaffirms the innovative and avant-garde DNA of the Mutua Madrid Open,” said the man from Toledo.
FOXTENN CEO Javier Simón assured that the new review will improve the experience. “Traditional systems estimate the bounce of the ball, which does not take into account the changes that the court undergoes. On the contrary, FOXTENN technology visualizes the real image of the bounce and is not affected by constant micro-variations of the earth, “he said.
FOXTENN sales director and former world number 10 Felix Mantilla stressed that this will save “mistakes and controversies.” As a player, I have experienced many situations in which the brand of the ball was not clear and raised doubts. If we had had the FOXTENN technology, we would have saved ourselves a lot of mistakes and controversy. It is great news for tennis, “he stressed.
The use of electronic review was first introduced on the ATP Tour on hard court in Miami 2006, gradually being incorporated to the rest of the surfaces; on clay, the protocol had been maintained to allow players to request the chair umpire to review the mark during matches.
The electronic review, which will be available at the Manolo Santana Stadium, will be used in the singles and doubles matches, as well as in those of the preliminary phase in both the ATP men’s and the WTA women’s teams.
