Rafael Nadal has left the building.
Twenty-two time Grand Slam champion Nadal has withdrawn from The Slam exhibition against US Open champion Carlos Alcaraz set for March 5th at the MGM Grand Slam in Las Vegas.
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Reigning Roland Garros champion Nadal is out recovering from injury and two stars are replacing him.
Taylor Fritz, who defeated Nadal in the 2022 Indian Wells final, and Frances Tiafoe, who knocked Nadal out of the 2022 US Open, will square off in Vegas with the winner facing Alcaraz in the final on Sunday, March 5th.
The 36-year-old Nadal was forced to pull out of the event due to an injury he suffered in his Australian Open loss to American Mackenzie McDonald.
“I am very sad for not being able to come to Vegas and play in this amazing event with Carlos at the MGM Grand Garden Arena,” Nadal said in a statement. “Unfortunately, the timing of my recovery doesn’t make it possible to be there ready to play.
“I am sure that we will find another date to celebrate this event and have fun. I would like to thank the fans and event organizers who have been in contact with me all the time, showed a lot of support and have been extremely understanding.”
In addition to the event’s singles matches, the legendary doubles duo of Bob and Mike Bryan are scheduled to compete in a match against opponents soon to be announced.
The MGM Grand Garden Arena doors will open at 2 p.m. with the doubles event slated to start at 3 p.m. The Alcaraz vs. Fritz-Tiafoe winner is scheduled for 5:30 p.m. All players will participate in a VIP clinic earlier in the day.
The post-match Gala supporting the MGM Resorts Foundation, Rafael Nadal Foundation and National Tennis Foundation has been canceled.
VIP package information is available at The SLAM VIP Experiences. Individual match tickets for MGM Rewards The SLAM Presented by Chase Sapphire are on sale starting at $75, not including applicable service charges or fees, and can be purchased via axs.com. Fans interested in obtaining a refund may do so at the original point of purchase.
The 25-year-old Fritz, a Rancho Palos Verdes, Calif. resident, is coming off a breakthrough 2022 season which saw him win his first Masters 1000 event when he beat Nadal at the BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells, Calif. Currently ranked a career-high No. 7, Fritz advanced to the Wimbledon quarterfinals last summer.
Tiafoe, also 25, hails from Hyattsville, Md. and is coming off an exceptional 2022 campaign…
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