Madrid Open 2016: Nadal, Lopez and Muguruza headline fundraiser for refugees
The Caja Magica played host to a special launch event featuring Rafael Nadal and Felicano Lopez ahead of the Madrid Open
For the third consecutive year, Madrid’s famous Caja Magica played host to a special launch event featuring two of Spain’s favourite tennis sons, Rafael Nadal and Felicano Lopez, and one its favourite daughters, Garbine Muguruza.
The third Mutua Madrid Open Charity Day brought together players and celebrities to raise money for Syrian refugees through UNHCR (the UN’s agency for refugees), CEAR (Spanish Commission for Refugee Aid), UNICEF and Mensajeros de la Paz.
López and Muguruza each captained a team for the afternoon’s on-court entertainment. Lopez was joined by Nadal and Martina Hingis along with basketball player Rudy Fernández, singer Edurne, ex-footballer Aitor Ocio and actress Mariam Hernández.
Muguruza shared her side of the court with Simona Halep, actor Stany Coppet, entrepreneurs Alejandra Silva and Aldo Comas, actress Nerea Barros, and former Grand Slam champion Marat Safin, who won the Madrid Masters before it switched to outdoor clay in 2009.
The biggest cheers of the day were saved for the last event, when Nadal and Hingis joined forces to take on Lopez and Muguruza in a doubles match.
However, on a day packed with qualifying action, the fans were quick to pack Manolo Santana Centre Court for numerous practice sessions as the world’s top players steadily poured into Madrid, among them former champion Novak Djokovic and defending champion Andy Murray.
