International tennis stars Carlos Alcaraz, Frances Tiafoe, Amanda Anisimova and Emma Raducanu will headline the first-ever tennis event at the Prudential Center, to be held Dec. 7, the arena announced Thursday.
The event, ‘A Racquet at The Rock,’ will feature two best-of-three-set matches, with a 10-point tiebreaker to be used if a third set is necessary.
Tickets, available for purchase at Ticketmaster.com, Prucenter.com, and Prudential Center’s Box Office, will be available on presale on Sept. 8 at noon. They will be available to the general public beginning at noon Sept. 10.
Dylan Wanagiel, VP, Sports Properties and Special Events at HBSE/Prudential Center, called the inaugural ‘A Racquet at The Rock’ a unique exhibition celebrating the world’s best tennis players competing in New Jersey.
“It is a tremendous honor for our company, in partnership with Unified Events, to announce this debut of elite professional tennis at Prudential Center,” he said. “While our venue has a long history of hosting marquee events we have not yet seen the likes of ‘A Racquet at The Rock’ featuring some of the best tennis players from all across the world.
“This is a significant milestone for our team and will continue to showcase Newark as a leading sports and entertainment destination.”
It certainly will do so with a top-level cast of competitors.
Alcaraz, currently No. 2 in the world, is a five-time major champion – and still in contention for a sixth, as he will play a semifinal match in the U.S. Open Friday afternoon.
Tiafoe, one of the more colorful players on the tour, is a two-time U.S. Open semifinalist.
Alcaraz said he is looking forward to the event.
“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,” he said. “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 Dec. 7 at Prudential Center, it will be a special night of great tennis.”
Tiafoe, ranked No. 17 in the world, agreed.
“Carlos and I have played many incredible matches throughout the years on the biggest stages in the world,” he said. “We always bring out the best in each other and I am looking forward to putting on a show for the great fans in the tri-state area at the inaugural ‘A Racquet at The Rock.’”
The men’s match will be preceded by a female match, featuring the Jersey-born Anisimova, one of the hottest players on the tour this year.
Anisimova, also a U.S. Open semifinalist, was a finalist at Wimbledon and is currently ranked No. 9 in the world. She will face Raducanu, the 2021 U.S. Open champion who is currently ranked No. 36.
“It’s a special feeling to return to the place where my tennis dreams first began,” Anisimova said. “I am looking forward to playing against one of the best players in the world in Emma and having the opportunity to do so in my original home state of New Jersey.”
The event, which will pay homage to New Jersey’s own tennis history (more details to come) is being presented with Unified Events.
“We are thrilled to partner with HBSE in bringing together the top tennis talent in the world for the first-ever ‘A Racquet at The Rock,’” Unified Events SVP Molly Pendleton said.
“The popularity of these four athletes will make this a can’t miss event for fans.”
