This is the life of a sparring at the Mutua Madrid Open

Fernando Murciego | 7 May 2026 | 11.30

This is the life of a hitting partner at the Mutua Madrid Open. Source: Punto de Break

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We met in the hallways of the Mutua Madrid Open with the group of sparrings responsible for training with the world's top tennis players over these past three weeks. How many anecdotes will they be able to gather among them?

From left to right in the photo: Rudy Ritcher (32), Diego Bustamante (27), Sergio Redondo (31), David Redondo (31), José Ángel Muñoz (18), and Íker García (20). Not everyone is present, but those who gathered with Punto de Break this past weekend to tell us about the experience of being a sparring in a tournament like the Mutua Madrid Open 2026. Can you imagine having the daily task of training with Jannik Sinner, Venus Williams, Casper Ruud, Iga Swiatek, or Alexander Zverev? Only a group of highly skilled individuals, both in sports and mentally, can fit into a suit of such responsibility.

“In my case, I had already been a sparring in some Challenger tournaments in Mexico, so the people who saw me in those tournaments recommended me to come here,” tells us Diego Bustamante, who currently works in accounting and administration for a company, in addition to teaching tennis and languages throughout the year. “When they proposed it to me, I didn't hesitate. A few years ago, I had already been at the WTA 1000 in Guadalajara and the WTA Finals, so I was looking forward to living another experience like this,” he adds.

“We usually arrive at the club between 8:00 and 9:00, depending on the schedule set for us each day. Then there are training sessions or warm-ups throughout the day, maybe there are days where you only play for one or two hours, but then you can have days of playing for four or five hours. In terms of availability, we have to be here for about twelve hours, from 8:00 to 20:00,” advances David Redondo, one of the most veteran members of the group. “Most of us see this as a hobby, my brother and I are not dedicated to tennis, although we did play in the past. In fact, tomorrow morning I have to go to work at Zara's warehouse to lift boxes,” he comments with laughter.