Jessica Pegula and Emma Navarro, two Americans who recently achieved career-best performances at the US Open, are set to face off in an exhibition match at Madison Square Garden on December 4. Both players, also known as billionaires on the WTA Tour, will be joined by four-time Grand Slam champion Carlos Alcaraz, who will compete against Ben Shelton.
The Garden Cup marks the first tennis event since 2018 at MSG, home to the NBA’s Knicks and NHL’s Rangers.
The world No. 3 Pegula made it to her inaugural Grand Slam final at the 2024 US Open, where she narrowly lost to Aryna Sabalenka in straight sets, 7-5 7-5. Meanwhile, the world No. 8 Navarro had an impressive run, toppling the defending champion, Coco Gauff, in the fourth round before advancing to the semifinals, where she too was defeated by Sabalenka.
On the men’s side, Alcaraz claimed victories at both the French Open and Wimbledon earlier this year. However, his defense of the US Open title, which he won in 2022 to secure his first Grand Slam, ended with a second-round exit last month. As for Shelton, his best Grand Slam finish was reaching the semifinals in New York last year, though this time, he was eliminated in the third round by fellow American Frances Tiafoe. (source: ESPN)