The 2012 Madrid Masters (also known as the Mutua Madrid Open for sponsorship reasons) was played on outdoor blue clay courts at the Park Manzanares in Madrid, Spain from 7 to 13 May. It was the 11th edition of the event on the ATP and 4th on the WTA. It was classified as an ATP World Tour Masters 1000 event on the 2012 ATP World Tour and a Premier Mandatory event on the 2012 WTA Tour. The clay courts used for the tournament were dyed blue to provide better contrast with the ball, which garnered controversy amongst players who found the dyeing made the surface too slippery and difficult to maneuver, putting defensive players at a disadvantage. Ion Țiriac, the former Romanian ATP player and billionaire businessman who owns the tournament, instituted the use of the color.