- Carlos Alcaraz and Rafael Nadal will open next year’s Netflix Slam event
- The Spanish duo will be joined by other tennis stars at the new tournament
- Nadal could retire from tennis next year after struggling with injury
Carlos Alcaraz and Rafael Nadal will welcome in the new era of Netflix’s live tennis streaming service when the pair play each other in an exhibition match.
Two of tennis’ brightest superstars will kick-off the the aptly named Netflix Slam at the Michelob ULTRA Arena at Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino in Las Vegas on March 3, 2024, with other big names also set to feature.
Alcaraz has enjoyed a stunning year on both grass and clay, topped off by winning a fist Wimbledon title when he beat current world No.1 Novak Djokovic in the summer.
Meanwhile, Nadal has been out of action since January and underwent hip surgery in the summer but is close to returning, however, 2024 is likely to be his final year in the sport.
The duo will be the opening act of the new tennis event that will be available to global markets and streamed in both English and Spanish.
Carlos Alcaraz will play the opening match of The Netflix Slam in Las Vegas next year
Rafael Nadal will face off against Alcaraz in an exhibition match to start the tournament
The event will mark Netflix’s second live sports event having previously enjoyed success with The Netflix Cup – a live golf exhibition that aired in November.
Netflix has began to invest further in the sports market having already celebrated success in various docuseries covering both Formula One with their ‘Drive to Survive’ series and another similar show covering the NFL.
The organisation is yet to obtain live broadcasting rights for any major sporting event, whereas competitors Amazon have already showcased Premier League football and international rugby.
Nadal currently holds a 2-1 professional record against the younger Alcaraz
‘I’m thrilled that with The Netflix Slam, we can give our global audience an opportunity to watch two tennis greats battle each other in a one-of-a-kind live event,’ said Gabe Spitzer, vp nonfiction sports for Netflix.
‘A legend like Rafa and a champion like Carlos together on the court, along with tons of other action, promises to be a live show fans won’t want to miss.’
The Spanish duo have previously come up against each other twice in competitive formats on the ATP tour, with Nadal boasting a 2-1 record over his younger competitor.
However, Alcaraz has starred alongside Djokovic this season and is the most promising player on the men’s circuit at just 20-years-old.
