A Super 300 event on the HSBC BWF World Tour, the Spain Masters is four editions old.

It was cancelled last year due to COVID-19 pandemic but resumes today, for the first time in the Spanish capital, after stops in Barcelona (2018-2020) and Huelva (2021).

• Viktor Axelsen is the only shuttler to triumph more than once (2019, 2020).
• Returning defending champions Toma Junior Popov, Putri Kusuma Wardani and Pramudya Kusumawardana/Yeremia Erich Yoche Yacob Rambitan can join him on that list.
• Axelsen’s compatriots, inaugural edition-winning Rasmus Gemke, 2019 women’s singles queen Mia Blichfeldt and 2020 titlists Kim Astrup/Anders Skaarup Rasmussen are the other previous winners in the draw.
• Another Dane, Sara Thygesen won mixed doubles in 2018 with Niclas Nohr but competes in women’s doubles alongside regular partner Maiken Fruergaard this time.
• That means she has the chance of becoming the first player to win in two departments.
• Except Axelsen, Blichfeldt (2018-2019) and Lee Yang/Wang Chi-Lin (2019-2020), no player has played in consecutive finals.
• With six titles across four categories, Denmark top the performance table.
• Women’s doubles is the one discipline they have yet to taste success in. Amalie Magelund/Freja Ravn finished second in 2021.
• Denmark have also contested the most title matches – 10.
• Indonesia, however, have the best success rate of 80 per cent, winning four of five finals against other nations. The 2021 men’s doubles championship bout was an all-Indonesian affair.
• France are the only other European nation to have produced a champion.
• Four more teams – Korea, Japan, Chinese Taipei and Thailand – have toasted winners.
• No nation has done a sweep but Indonesia came close at the previous edition, taking four events and finishing runner-up in men’s singles through Chico Aura Dwi Wardoyo.
• Top seeds in three disciplines – Kenta Nishimoto, Fajar Alfian/Muhammad Rian Ardianto and Dechapol Puavaranukroh/Sapsiree Taerattanachai – are making their tournament debuts.
• Nishimoto is the sole No.1 seed without a title at the Super 300 level. He has a Super 750 crown – the 2022 Japan Open.

Standout Stat: The competition is yet to crown a local winner. Women’s singles first seed and crowd favourite Carolina Marin, in her solitary outing, was runner-up to Thai Pornpawee Chochuwong in 2020.