3 min readMar 25, 2026 08:29 PM IST Real Madrid’s Santiago Bernabeu is set to temporarily shift from football to tennis, turning into a hub of practice courts during the upcoming Madrid Open. According to The New York Times, the stadium will serve as a training venue for the tournament between April 23 and April 30, shortly after the event begins on April 20. The report added that the move leverages the Bernabeu’s close proximity to the players’ hotel, as well as a convenient stretch of away fixtures for Real Madrid, who currently sit second in La Liga. This transformation is made possible by the stadium’s state-of-the-art retractable pitch, a key feature of its $1 billion renovation completed in late 2023. The pitch is split into six large sections that can be stored underground in a controlled environment, allowing the surface above to be repurposed. With the grass safely maintained below, alternative setups—such as clay tennis courts—can be installed on the exposed base. Real Madrid’s schedule plays a crucial role in enabling the plan. The …