The 2012 installment of the $10.6 million tournament in the Spanish capital will be the first time an officially sanctioned Tour event will be played on a blue clay court -- a departure from the traditional red associated most closely with the French Open and Roland Garros.
It is the brainchild of Ion Tiriac, a former player who won a French Open doubles title in 1970, who is convinced the switch of colors will benefit the sport's star players and spectators watching in person and on television.
The blue clay is made exactly the same way as the red, with specially dyed bricks being ground into tiny fragments, before two different layers are spread over the court.
Tiriac also pioneered the first blue hard courts and says the switch to blue clay is a logical step.
"On the blue court, the contrast is much better," he told CNN. "I'm sure the spectators are going to say, 'Wow, we can see the ball better.' It's proved scientifically the ball and the contrast is at least 15 per cent better on the blue than the red.
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