On September 19th, Spain will face the US for a series of tennis matches as part of the Davis Cup tournament. Spain is heavily favored, but the action on the court won’t be the only interesting aspect of the event. That’s because the matches will be held at Las Ventas, Madrid’s most famous bullfighting arena.
The fact that Madrid is hosting tennis at such an unusual venue might have something to do with its bid to win the 2016 Summer Olympics. Madrid is currently a favorite to be chosen as host, but it faces stiff competition from Tokyo, Chicago and Rio. The bullfighting/tennis marriage will bring attention to the unique venues that the city has to offer.
Though a bullfighting ring might sound somehow quaint and small, Las Ventas is anything but. Organizers are expecting 20,000-plus people to attend each of the three days of matches. This will not be the first non-bovine-centered sport held in a bullfighting ring. MotoX (motorcycle jumping) was held in a bullfighting arena previously.