Nadal, Djokovic don’t like Madrid blue clay

Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic complain about the blue clay courts that will be used in the upcoming Masters Series tournament in Madrid. World No. 1 Djokovic was quoted by reporters in Monte Carlo as saying: "Sometimes change is good. I like innovative and creative people. But, on the other hand, it's going to be the only blue clay court tournament in the world, first time ever in history.  To be honest with you, as far as I know, most of the top players I talked to, nobody agreed on that.  I never played on blue clay. Rafa didn't. Roger didn't. We're going on there and we're going to play for the first time ever.  We don't even know if it's a natural blue clay because natural clay is a red clay. I'm not really too happy about it. All the credit to the tournament.  I'm not blaming them. They fight for their own.  But definitely there is a certain rule within ATP that the president is able to make decision by himself without having players agree to that. That rule has to be changed because it's not fair... I understand that we all want to see a certain change and improvement in our tennis world.  But on the other hand you need to hear out what the players say, especially the top ones, because we need to feel that our opinion matters. That was not the case this time."

Nadal, who recently resigned at the vice president of the ATP Players Council, said Madrid doesn’t need any type of out of the ordinary innovation be cause the tournament is already is one of the best in the world. "The history of the clay court season was on red, it wasn't on blue. You can tell me that I am traditional, but I am not.  I love all improvements. What makes a really big tournament at the end is the history of tennis. This tournament is big because the history is there.  Best players of history played in this court. My opinion, is a mistake.  Is always the same history, no? The players doesn't win nothing. The tennis doesn't win nothing.  One person win.  Only the owner of the tournament win something on that."

Romanian Ion Tiriac, a former player and longtime tennis  promoter, owns the event.

Andy Murray added: "For the players, it would be better for it to be on the red clay. But at the same time, I've watched sometimes in Madrid.  It's very difficult to see the ball. I understand the reasons for doing it. It makes the tournament unique and a bit different.  Sometimes that's good for the tour. But the timing of it is what makes it difficult for the players.  I've never played on a blue clay court before. I have no idea how the surface will play."