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Madrid is one of the special stops on tour, and the WTA interviewed six top-10 stars, asking each of them what they liked about the city and how they prepared for the challenging week ahead.

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Kerber will soon pass inactive points leader Serena Williams, needing to defeat first-round opponent Timea Babos to return to the No. 1 ranking next week. She would get the job done, 6-4, 6-2 on Sunday.

“I’m not thinking about this. I’m just here to play round by round," Kerber said.

The German’s most enthusiastic offering summed up what she liked best about the city. “I love the Spanish food!”

World No. 3 Karolina Pliskova could chase down Kerber with deep runs at Madrid and Rome, but admitted that it will not be easy on red clay, which mutes her power and forces her tall frame to bend more and grind through long points.

“Clay is a little bit difficult surface for me, but I’m going to try to do my best,"she said.

She would open with a tough 7-6 (5), 2-6, 6-2 win over Lesia Tsurenko.

Madrid will always be a special tournament for Svetlana Kuznetsova. In 2001, the Russian made her debut at the Madrid Open at the age of 15. She and her family had moved to Spain when she was young, and she's fluent in Spanish.

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“I like the height and the way the ball flies,” Kuznetsova said.

Great Britain's top prospect Johanna Konta won her biggest career title earlier this year in Miami, and will try to carry that success to the dirt.

“Unfortunately, I haven’t been able to explore the city as much as I’ve wanted to,” Konta said.

A commitment to training is her obvious priority. She added that, "You’ve really got to make the most of [the short clay season.]”

Defending French Open champion Garbine Muguruza could cash in with big points over the next month if she finds her best form on her favorite surface.

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“I wish [the clay-court season] was a little longer because that’s my mother surface," she said.

The Spaniard is hoping for continued applause in her native country. "When the crowd is cheering for me more than normal, that’s awesome to feel that support," she said.

Simona Halep, the defending Madrid Open champion, confessed she enjoys paella and shopping when she comes to Madrid. On the court, her 2016 title has been her favorite memory.

"I know that it’s going to be difficult," Halep said. "Every match is difficult. I’m working hard on my attitude and my game."

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Baseline