Alcaraz and Raducanu among players confirmed for exhibition event in December
NewsFriday, 05 September 2025 at 12:20
Carlos Alcaraz will stay active during the off-season by playing an exhibition alongside three other ATP and WTA players, including Emma Raducanu.
The five-time Grand Slam champion participated in two exhibitions in December 2024. That move caused some controversy since Alcaraz has complained about the tennis calendar being too lengthy and mentioned how much he wants to spend more time at home.
Rather than spend the entire off-season in Spain with his family, Alcaraz played an exhibition contest with Frances Tiafoe in Charlotte. The American won a match played in good spirits throughout.
Alcaraz also featured in an exhibition with Ben Shelton, held at the historic Madison Square Garden. The Spaniard prevailed, but Shelton, who always produces entertaining moments, played many great shots.
On December 7th, 2025, at the Prudential Center in New Jersey, Alcaraz will face Frances Tiafoe in another exhibition match. The format is best-of-three sets, with the final set decided by a 10-point tiebreaker.
Alcaraz released a statement outlining how excited he was to share the court with Tiafoe once again when they meet in New Jersey in the final month of the year.
"It is always a lot of fun to be on the court with Frances—we love to compete against each other, and I can’t wait to put on a great show for the fans in Newark. To play again in the metropolitan area with all the amazing fans, it’s something special. They bring such unique energy, and they love tennis so much. I’m looking forward to December 7 at Prudential Center, it will be a special night of great tennis."
Alcaraz and Tiafoe would be enough to generate interest, but fans who attend will also be treated to exciting women's action. 2021 US Open winner Emma Raducanu and 2025 Wimbledon runner-up Amanda Anisimova are scheduled to play at the same exhibition.
Although they will not compete against each other, Alcaraz and Raducanu's presence at the same tournament is sure to create attention because of the rumors that have spread in recent months.
The pair played together in the 2025 US Open mixed doubles after Alcaraz specifically asked to be paired with Raducanu. They lost at the first hurdle to Jessica Pegula and Jessica Draper, but seemed to have fun on the court.
Despite speculation, Raducanu insists they are just friends and not in a relationship. The Briton might have revealed the identity of her boyfriend in a picture she posted on Instagram after being eliminated from the 2025 US Open.
Anisimova and Tiafoe, both American, will give patriotic fans in New Jersey players to cheer for in each match. It promises to be a terrific event, and all the players, especially Alcaraz, are probably receiving significant appearance fees.
Alcaraz creates a tricky situation for himself with exhibition events
Two different strands of thought exist on players participating in exhibitions after expressing unhappiness about the calendar. Some think ATP and WTA stars should show consistency and take breaks during the off-season and off-weeks to rest.
Others argue that the ATP and WTA calendars should be shorter to make it easier for players to compete in exhibitions. Reducing professional tournaments while keeping the same number of exhibitions would reduce strain.
Taylor Fritz is among those who have defended Alcaraz in the past. The 2024 US Open runner-up said the difference in intensity between ATP tournaments and exhibitions is significant, and they should not be compared.
Billie Jean King has been critical of Alcaraz, thinking he should manage his schedule better and noting how the calendar has not changed much since she played. But the sport being much more physical now than in Jean King's era is a strong counterargument to that point.
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