An exhibition match between Rafael Nadal, one of tennis’ all-time greats, and Carlos Alcaraz, a rising star in the sport, is scheduled to take place in Las Vegas
Alcaraz made the world sit up and take notice of his talent this year as he won the US Open and became the youngest world No 1 at the age of 19. While Nadal is a legend of the sport due to the fact that he holds the record for the most Grand Slams won by a male tennis player with 22, Alcaraz made the world sit up and take notice of his talent this year.
The pair concluded the year a top the ATP Rankings at positions 1 and 2, respectively, with Alcaraz being the youngest player ever to hold the year-end No. 1 spot.
And on March 5, they will compete against one another in a showcase event that will take place at the MGM Grand Las Vegas, with a capacity of 16,800.
Nadal, who referred to the match as “a spectacular one-night event” on social media, stated in a press release that he is “extremely excited for my first visit to Las Vegas, one of the most iconic and entertaining cities in the world.”
“I’ll be playing alongside my countryman Carlos Alcaraz, who’s had an incredible year,” he said. At the MGM Grand Garden Arena, tonight’s tennis match should turn out to be quite entertaining.
Although Alcaraz prevailed in their most recent matchup at the Madrid Open in May, the veteran still holds a 2-1 advantage in their head-to-head competition on the ATP Tour. The two Spaniards have competed against one another three times in official matches.
The 19-year-old Alcaraz, who won four wins in 2021, acknowledges that he is thrilled to play with “one of the nicest people on Tour.” Alcaraz won four trophies in 2021.
The fact that Rafa and I will be playing on the same court in Las Vegas is an incredible honour for me. It goes without saying that he is one of the greatest players of all time; his records and accomplishments speak for themselves. He went on to say, “Rafa is also one of the nicest men on Tour, and I look forward to our match on March 5.”
After the match, the 2023 Slam Gala will take place at the Rivea and Skyfall in the Mandalay Bay Resort & Casino. The revenues from the gala will be donated to the MGM Resorts Foundation, the Rafa Nadal Foundation, and the National Tennis Foundation.
