Players switch to game controllers as Madrid Open goes online

With the tennis season suspended due to the pandemic, top players will swap their rackets for game controllers during the Madrid Open.

Organisers of the cancelled tournament, that featured total prize money of $8.3 million, announced their decision to stage a virtual competition so as to raise funds for struggling players.

It will now take place on the Tennis World Tour videogame and run from April 27-30.

"We have organised a tournament for the professional players that is as true to the conventional Mutua Madrid Open as possible, without them having to leave their homes," Madrid Open director Feliciano Lopez said in a statement.

The virtual match will feature 16 men's and women's singles players in each draw and offer €150,000 euros for both. 

The tennis season was halted in early March due to the pandemic, financially impacting players in the lower tiers.

This comes as several sporting events, including La Liga and Formula One, have held virtual sessions for their fans, and to help raise funds.