The 2012 Madrid Masters (also known as the Mutua Madrid Open for sponsorship reasons) was played on outdoor blue clay courts at the Park Manzanares in Madrid, Spain from 7 to 13 May. It was the 11th edition of the event on the ATP and 4th on the WTA. It was classified as an ATP World Tour Masters 1000 event on the 2012 ATP World Tour and a Premier Mandatory event on the 2012 WTA Tour. The clay courts used for the tournament were dyed blue to provide better contrast with the ball, which garnered controversy amongst players who found the dyeing made the surface too slippery and difficult to maneuver, putting defensive players at a disadvantage. Ion Țiriac, the former Romanian ATP player and billionaire businessman who owns the tournament, instituted the use of the color.[1]
It was Federer's fourth singles title of the year (out of four finals), and the 74th of his career. The win, Federer's third in Madrid after 2006 and 2009, was his second ATP World Tour Masters 1000 title of the year, and his 20th overall – at the time tying the record of Masters titles co-held by Rafael Nadal.
It was Williams' second singles title of the year, and the 41st of her career – which tied her with Kim Clijsters as second among active players (10th in the Open Era) with the most singles titles. It was Williams' first Premier Mandatory title of the year, and her 12th Premier Mandatory/Premier 5 or Tier I title overall.
