Despite wrapping up his competitive season, Carlos Alcaraz isn’t done just yet. The young Spanish tennis star is set to return to the court for two exhibition matches in the United States. On December 4, Alcaraz will face World No. 21 Ben Shelton at Madison Square Garden in New York. Just two days later, he will take on American Frances Tiafoe at the Spectrum Center in Charlotte, North Carolina.
The first exhibition, part of the Garden Cup, will feature Alcaraz and Shelton, who have met twice before, with Alcaraz emerging victorious on both occasions. The event will also include a women’s match between Emma Navarro and Jessica Pegula, two top American female stars.
Alcaraz will then travel to Charlotte for The Charlotte Invitational, where he will face Tiafoe. Alcaraz leads their head-to-head 2-1, with Tiafoe’s sole victory coming at the 2021 Barcelona Open when Alcaraz was still outside the top 100. The event will also feature a women’s match, a rematch of the 2017 US Open final between Sloane Stephens and Madison Keys.
Despite a demanding season, Alcaraz remains committed to exhibition events. Although his official competitive calendar is closed until 2025, the 21-year-old is using his free time to fulfill commitments to exhibitions scheduled months ago. These exhibition matches not only provide fans with the opportunity to see Alcaraz in action but also allow him to stay sharp and entertain tennis enthusiasts.
Alcaraz’s first official tournament in 2025 will be the Australian Open, where he will be eager to capture the title he has yet to win. With his impressive track record in 2024, including two Grand Slam titles and a silver medal at the Paris Olympics, Alcaraz is poised to continue his dominance in the sport.
Alcaraz’s exhibition matches with Shelton and Tiafoe are sure to be exciting events, showcasing his incredible talent and providing fans with a glimpse of what’s to come in the new season.
Frances Tiafoe in 2024
Now the world no.18, Tiafoe played his last match on the 29th of October when he surrendered to world no.31 Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard 6-7(5) 7-6(4) 6-3 in the 1st round in Paris (draw).
Until now, during this year Frances has managed to achieve a composed 33-27 record. Frances Tiafoe’s best result of the present season was getting to the final in Houston and Cincinnati.
Carlos Alcaraz in 2024
Now ranked no.3, Carlos played his last match on the 19th of November when he overcame world no.40 Tallon Griekspoor 7-6(0) 6-3 in the Rubber 2 of the Davis Cup (draw).
Currently, during this season Alcaraz owns a 54-13 record. Alcaraz has won 4 titles in 2024 in Indian Wells, French Open, Wimbledon and Beijing. Carlos was the finalist in Paris.
Frances Tiafoe and Carlos Alcaraz clashed against each other 3 times. Their actual record is 2-1 for Alcaraz.