Some of the biggest names in tennis, including Carlos Alcaraz, will stay busy during the off-season with an exhibition match at Madison Square Garden in December.
Alcaraz's involvement in the exhibition contradicts the advice some former players gave him about playing less after the four-time Grand Slam champion lost in the second round of the US Open to Botic van de Zandschulp.
John McEnroe argued that Alcaraz should take two months off after the US Open. The American worries that the young superstar could burn himself out after a long year that has already seen him win the French Open and Wimbledon.
Instead, the Spaniard elected to play in the Davis Cup. Although representing his country is important to the 21-year-old, his decision to compete still surprised some.
Alcaraz helped Spain to get their first point after Tomas Machac retired in the third set of their match. That gave the team an unassailable 2-0 lead after Roberto Bautista Agut defeated Jiri Lehecka in the first match.
It has now been confirmed that Alcaraz will not rest the entire off-season. He is one of the players set to compete at Madison Square Garden in an exhibition event that promises to be great viewing.
Alcaraz is scheduled to play a singles match against Ben Shelton. Despite the worldwide love Alcaraz receives, the American should receive much support from his home fans in New York.
Shelton is also one of the most exciting young players in the world. Last year's US Open semifinalist has a huge serve, great volleys, and regularly produces outrageous shots during his matches.
Alcaraz vs Shelton should be one of the most watchable matchups in tennis today. That alone would be worth the price of a ticket, but that is not the only match that will be played at Madison Square Garden.
Fans can also enjoy an all-American matchup between Jessica Pegula and Emma Navarro. Both women have enjoyed superb seasons, and if they can repeat their performances in 2024, the level promises to be very high.
Jessica Pegula reached this year's US Open women's singles final. She missed out on the title after losing two tight sets to Aryna Sabalenka, but she can still be very proud after a breakthrough tournament at a Grand Slam for her.
Understandably, Pegula is taking additional time off after her heroics at Flushing Meadows. She withdrew from next week's Korea Open but will return to New York to play the exhibition match with Navarro.
Navarro has improved dramatically in the last 12 months. She is currently ranked No. 8, a career-high, after a season that has included semifinal appearances at the US Open and Cincinnati Open and a quarterfinal run at Wimbledon.
The 23-year-old also withdrew from the Korea Open, along with Karolina Muchova. Navarro undoubtedly deserves a break after a very long year so far, during which she has played 72 matches.
Presale tickets for the exhibition event on 4 December were made available on Friday. Due to the high-profile names involved in the event, demand is expected to be high.
0 Comments