Nadal, Alcaraz to clash in Las Vegas showdown in March

This will be the first visit for Nadal in Las Vegas as he takes on his younger countryman, who is the current world No 1

Nadal Alcaraz at the Indian Wells Masters in March 2022

Zuma / Panoramic

Haresh Ramchandani

December 7, 2022

Rafael Nadal, the man with the most Grand Slam singles titles in tennis history, and Carlos Alcaraz, the current world No 1 and reigning US Open champion, will clash in an exhibition event in Las Vegas in early March.

The special one-night championship match is being billed as “THE SLAM: Nadal vs. Alcaraz” and will be hosted by MGM Resorts International on Sunday, March 5 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena. Tickets for the same go on sale to the public on Friday December 9, 2022.

This will be the first visit to Las Vegas for the 36-tear-old Nadal, who is eagerly looking forward to the visit.

“I’m very excited for my first visit to Las Vegas, one of the most iconic and entertaining cities in the world,” said the Spaniard in a press release. “I’ll be playing with my fellow countryman Carlos Alcaraz who’s had an amazing year. It should be a great night of tennis at the MGM Grand Garden Arena.”

“I’m honored and so happy to be sharing the court with Rafa Nadal in Las Vegas” – Alcaraz

Alcaraz, who trails Nadal 2-1 in career head-to-head but won their most recent clash at the Madrid Masters this year, said he was looking forward to sharing the court with his compatriot.

“I’m honored and so happy to be sharing the court with Rafa in Las Vegas. He’s an all-time great, of course, and his records and achievements speak for themselves. Rafa also is one of the nicest guys on Tour and I look forward to our match on March 5,” the 19-year-old said.

The Bryan Brothers, Bob and Mike Bryan, will also be part of the event as they will take part in a celebrity doubles match.

Alcaraz and Nadal finished the 2022 season as the world’s top two ranked players, marking the first time in ATP history that two players from the same country, besides the U.S., finished the year in the top 2 of the world rankings.

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