Serena Williams dominated the WTA Tour for several years, winning more Major titles than any other player in the Open Era.
On seven different occasions, Williams won multiple Grand Slams in a single year, a remarkable achievement.
She did so in 2012, winning Wimbledon and the US Open, having failed to pick up a Major in 2011.
Williams also won Olympic Gold in 2012, as she enjoyed one of the best seasons of her entire tennis career.
It was, however, another title she won earlier in the year that may be the most memorable, as the stars of the WTA Tour battled it out on a unique surface in the Spanish capital.
Serena Williams said the Madrid Open ‘just did what they wanted’ by introducing blue clay in 2012
In 2012, the Madrid Open switched to blue clay, a decision met with real controversy from the stars of men’s and women’s tennis.
On the men’s side, several players were struck down with injury as the surface proved slippery and difficult to manoeuvre on.
Ahead of the tournament, Williams shared her thoughts on the decision to move to blue clay.
“It’s interesting that they just did what they wanted,” she said.
“I just wish they hadn’t wasted our time.”
Her sister, Venus Williams, held a very different view and was excited to play on the ‘fashionable’ blue clay.
“I think the blue clay is a real fashion statement,” she said.
“I think it’s really in, bright colors are in.
“I wish I thought of it myself, I think it’s a good idea.”
The older of the two sisters may have liked the idea of blue clay, but failed to make an impact in Madrid, losing in the second round to Angelique Kerber.
- 2012 Madrid Open 2R – Venus Williams lost to Angelique Kerber, 4-6, 1-6
- 2012 Madrid Open 1R – Venus Williams beat Simona Halep, 6-1, 4-6, 7-6
Her younger sister enjoyed far more success, storming through to the final with several impressive victories.
| Round | Opponent | Score |
| SF | Lucie Hradecka | 7-6, 6-0 |
| QF | Maria Sharapova | 6-1, 6-3 |
| 3R | Caroline Wozniacki | 1-6, 6-3, 6-2 |
| 2R | Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova | 6-2, 6-1 |
| 1R | Elena Vesnina | 6-3, 6-1 |
There, Williams took on world number one Victoria Azarenka, who had won the Australian Open title a few months earlier.
The American dominated her Belarussian opponent in the first set, asserting her dominance on the blue clay, taking a 6-1 lead.
Azarenka’s level improved in the second but couldn’t turn things around as Williams lifted her 41st tour-level title.
Coming out a 6-1, 6-3 winner, Williams became the first player in the history of the sport to triumph on blue clay, only to be joined by Roger Federer shortly after.
Did Serena Williams return to win the Madrid Open in 2013?
The Madrid Open tournament directors wisely decided to return to red clay for the 2013 tournament, following widespread criticism of their experiment one year earlier.
Williams, looking to defend her title, entered the tournament as the number one seed and looked imperious throughout, dropping just one set in her six matches.
- 2013 Madrid Open F – Serena Williams beat Maria Sharapova, 6-1, 6-4
- 2013 Madrid Open SF – Serena Williams beat Sara Errani, 7-5, 6-2
- 2013 Madrid Open QF – Serena Williams beat Anabel Medina Garrigues, 6-3, 0-6, 7-5
- 2013 Madrid Open 3R – Serena Williams beat Maria Kirilenko, 6-3, 6-1
- 2013 Madrid Open 2R – Serena Williams beat Lourdes Dominguez Lino, 6-2, 7-5
- 2013 Madrid Open 1R – Serena Williams beat Yulia Putintseva, 7-5, 6-1
Beating her rival Maria Sharapova in the final, Williams defended her Madrid Open title, with a 6-1, 6-4 win over the Russian.
Williams returned to Spain in 2014 and 2015, losing in the quarter-finals and semi-finals, but never won at the Madrid Open again.
No American woman has won the tournament since, and it will certainly be interesting to see if the likes of Coco Gauff and Jessica Pegula can change that this year when the event begins on April 21.
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