Carlos Alcaraz, three other tennis players to compete in Charlotte Invitational event in December

Frances Tiafoe, Madison Keys, and Sloane Stephens join Carlos Alcaraz for the exhibition match.

World No. #3 and Wimbledon defending champion Carlos Alcaraz will turn up in Charlotte for a new event dubbed the Charlotte Invitational. The exhibition event represents the city of Charlotte’s aspirations to host a major tennis event. Just last year, the Queen City was looking to take over as the host of the Western & Southern Open, an ATP Masters 1000 event. The city of Cincinnati has played host to the tournament for over a century.

The Charlotte Sports Foundation announced on June 26 (Wednesday) that the inaugural edition of the Charlotte Invitational will be played in the Spectrum Center, home to the NBA team, the Charlotte Hornets. The North Carolina based event will also feature Frances Tiafoe on the men’s side. Madison Keys and Sloane Stephens will play the women’s exhibition match.

All players, except for Alcaraz, represent the host nation. Both Madison Keys and Frances Tiafoe live virtually in the vicinity of the venue. Carlos Alcaraz recently picked up the Roland Garros trophy for his third Grand Slam win after the US Open in 2022 and Wimbledon in 2023.

The Spaniard, at 21, is one Grand Slam win away from completing a career slam. The young Spaniard’s recent French Open win made him the youngest male tennis player to win a Grand Slam on all three playing surfaces – hard, clay and grass. 

Tiafoe is ranked 30th in the ATP, while compatriots Keys and Stephens are No. #12 and No. #45 in the WTA Rankings. Tiafoe made the finals of the Houston Open this season before losing to fellow American Ben Shelton. Madison Keys is a 2023 US Open semifinalist, while Sloane Stephens lifted the trophy at Flushing Meadows in 2017. 

The Spectrum Center will also host the Duke’s Mayo Classic and Duke’s Mayo Bowl, both college football games and the Ally Tipoff, a women’s university-level basketball event this year and in the early part of 2025.

The Charlotte Invitational is scheduled for December 6, with tickets to go on sale in July.

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