A nationwide power outage has forced the suspension of play for the day at the Madrid Open. Organisers announced that no further matches will take place on Monday “to guarantee general safety.”
The power outage, which began around midday local time, has impacted large areas of Spain and Portugal, affecting public transport, card payments, and mobile networks. While power is gradually being restored in some regions, the outage continues to cause significant disruptions.
Portuguese energy company REN stated that the blackout was caused by a “rare” atmospheric phenomenon, linked to temperature variations.
One of the players affected was Britain’s Jacob Fearnley, who had saved a match point in his third-round match against Bulgaria’s Grigor Dimitrov. Fearnley was trailing 6-4, 5-4 and was preparing to serve to stay in the match when the power cut halted play on the main court.
The outage caused the electronic line-calling system, which had replaced line judges, as well as the scoreboards, to stop working. After a brief delay, the umpire announced that play would resume, with him making line calls manually. However, the spider camera, which hangs low over the court, became stuck and was obstructing the players’ view. Following further discussions, the umpire decided to lead the players back to the locker rooms.
Spain’s electricity grid operator, Red Eléctrica, confirmed widespread power outages and is working to restore electricity.
In Madrid, reports have emerged of non-functioning traffic lights and the evacuation of the underground railway system. A similar power disruption has also affected Portugal.
Fearnley, one of three British men scheduled to compete in the third round on Monday, was among those whose matches were disrupted. Cameron Norrie was set to face Canada’s Gabriel Diallo, while British number one Jack Draper was due to play Italy’s Matteo Berrettini.
