Play on the Madrid Open got here to an sudden halt Monday after a widespread energy outage throughout Spain and Portugal.
The disruption, which struck at 12:34 p.m. native time (CEST), pressured a suspension of two singles matches and one doubles match on the ATP Masters 1000 occasion.
Power loss left digital line-calling techniques inoperable and left a spider cam dangling above the courtroom on the Manolo Santana Stadium, the place Grigor Dimitrov was main Jacob Fearnley 6-4, 5-4 when play was interrupted.
Dimitrov, ranked sixteenth within the ATP, had a match level at 5-2 within the second set however was pressured to depart the courtroom when the ability lower struck.
Fearnley had been preventing again, reclaiming the break to remain alive within the match as the 2 gamers awaited the restoration of energy.
Meanwhile, Matteo Arnaldi, contemporary off his upset of Novak Djokovic, was constructing on his momentum with a 6-3, 3-2 lead in opposition to Damir Dzumhur when the match was suspended.
The energy outage not solely affected the matches but additionally brought about vital disruptions all through Madrid.
Fourth seed Coco Gauff, who had simply defeated Belinda Bencic 6-4, 6-2 to succeed in the quarterfinals, was giving a post-match interview on the Arantxa Sanchez Stadium when the microphone misplaced energy, chopping her interview quick.
Fans additionally shared photos of darkish hallways on the Manzanares Park Tennis Center as they navigated by way of the venue.
Fans on-site have been left in confusion because the blackout unfold to different components of Madrid, affecting site visitors lights, airports, and even components of the underground system.
Siobhan Baker, a British fan on the event, described how the darkness affected their expertise: “We went out to grab a drink, thinking it was just a temporary issue. When we returned, the lights were still out, and even the toilets weren’t working for a while.”
ATP officers confirmed that two singles matches and one doubles match have been ongoing when the outage occurred. In an announcement, the ATP assured that efforts have been underway to revive energy and resume play.
With the ability but to be restored, hopes stay excessive that large matches like Stefanos Tsitsipas vs. Lorenzo Musetti and Jack Draper vs. Matteo Berrettini will proceed when play resumes after 4:30 p.m. native time.
Source: www.dailysabah.com