The Miami sun will shine brightly, but it’s the spark between two young tennis stars that promises to light up the court. Carlos Alcaraz and Emma Raducanu (who thrilled fans with their on-court dynamics during the 2025 US Open mixed doubles event) are back—this time in a singles event.

Although their journey at that star-studded mixed double event in NY didn’t last long, as they lost in the opening round, going down 4-2,4-2 to Jessica Pegula and Jack Draper, it was still a seamless collaboration between the two. Speaking more on that experience, Alcaraz said, “It was fun, to be honest. The people, the energy that was there was great. Almost full, Arthur Ashe. I loved the atmosphere, I loved the support, and I love the format, to be honest."

Now, these two, along with two other superstars, have signed up for the postseason exhibition event. Unified Events and loanDepot park have recently announced a first-of-its-kind tennis event featuring the current world number one, Carlos Alcaraz; the teenage phenom, Joao Fonseca; the 2021 US Open champion, Emma Raducanu; and the two-time Grand Slam finalist, Amanda Anisimova. The Miami Invitational is set to take place on December 8, 2025, at 7 p.m. (doors at 5:30 p.m.) at loanDepot park, home of the Miami Marlins (MLB). It will be the first tennis event in the ballpark’s history.

The invitational will include two singles matches, each best-of-three sets with a 10-point tiebreaker deciding a third set. Anisimova will be taking on Raducanu (the Brit leads the H2H record by 2-1). Following the evening's kickoff battle, the six-time major champion, Carlos Alcaraz, will be taking on Joao Fonseca. So, looking at this lineup, it’s needless to mention that the atmosphere in Miami is expected to be electric.

Carlos Alcaraz shares his thoughts about the exhibition event

Speaking about this exhibition event, Molly Pendleton, SVP, Unified Events, said that United Events is excited to grow the game of tennis by bringing this exciting exhibition to Miami. “To feature two of the brightest women’s stars in Anisimova and Raducanu alongside the first-ever meeting between Alcaraz and Fonseca should prove to be an electric night for tennis fans,” Pendleton added.

Other than that, Miami Marlins President of Business Caroline O’Connor said, “By hosting this premier exhibition, we reinforce our standing as the ultimate destination for the most prestigious events in sports and entertainment, and we’re honored to showcase our ability to deliver world-class experiences for all major events at our one-of-a-kind venue.” Giovanni Lapentti, a former tennis pro and co-organizer of the event, said that bringing these four superstars for one unforgettable night in Miami is a dream come true for all tennis fans. 

Reacting to the reception from the Brazilian fans during the 2025 Miami Open, Joao Fonseca said, “My first impression here is just I felt really [like I was] in Brazil. I mean, not only the crowd, but the organization treated me like I was in Brazil. So it was super cool. I really like the tournament.”

Recently, Fonseca shared his thoughts on the upcoming exhibition match, and stated, “Sharing the court with Carlos, Amanda, and Emma at loanDepot park will be epic. Miami’s fans, especially the Brazilian community, will make this night truly special,” said the teenage sensation. 

Carlos Alcaraz added, “I love playing in Miami—the fans always bring incredible energy. I’m thrilled to take the court for this first-ever event at loanDepot park, with João, Amanda, and Emma.” For Amanda Anisimova, playing in her hometown at loanDepot park with these superstars is nothing short of an incredible experience, and she stated that she can’t wait to get this event started. Even Emma Raducanu believes that this event will be quite electrifying, and she is also excited to bring her best in Miami alongside these three other stars.

However, amid all this, the news of Carlos Alcaraz’s participation in Miami has prompted tennis fans to question his decision to play at yet another exhibition event.

This year, Alcaraz has played close to 70 matches, and he has won 61 matches out of those. But as per the schedule, the Spaniard is also expected to participate in two other exhibition events before the 2026 season: the ‘Six Kings Slam’ in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, and ‘A Racquet At The Rock’ in New Jersey, USA. This third exhibition event in Miami has now raised a few eyebrows, especially after seeing all the complaints from the players surrounding the tennis schedule in the past couple of years.

Amid all these, Carlos Alcaraz survived an injury scare during his R32 match against Argentina’s Sebastian Baez at the Japan Open. He defeated the Argentine by 6-4,6-2 in that match, but there was a moment midway through the opener when we saw the world number one collapsing to the floor holding his left ankle and heel, which required strapping, only to later be interrupted by a 30-minute rain delay prior to serving for the first set.

While sharing his thoughts about this injury, Alcaraz said, “I was scared too, I’m not gonna lie. When I planted the ankle, I was worried because it didn’t feel good at the beginning. I’m just happy that I was able to play good tennis after that and finish the match quite good. I will try to recover to do whatever it takes to be ready for the next round.”

Seeing these scary moments, his fans and some of the experts are now wondering if he should keep himself away from these exhibition events and allow his body to recover fully with proper rest.

Written by

Sayantan Roy

Sayantan Roy is a seasoned tennis journalist at EssentiallySports. He brings a deep tactical understanding to his coverage, breaking down head-to-head records, match dynamics, and on-court strategies with precision. For more than two years, Sayantan has been a key member of the Live Events desk, delivering real-time insights and data-backed predictions for the platform’s Matchday Preview section. His analytical approach has sparked editorial debates and drawn recognition from respected tennis voices, including commentator and analyst Olly_Tennis. Combining his experience in writing with a passion for insightful sports journalism, Sayantan’s work serves as a trusted reference point for tennis fans around the world.

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