There were stars on the court and in the stands as tennis lovers in the Queen City filled the Spectrum Center for the Charlotte Invitational. The double header exhibition featured some of biggest names in tennis; Madison Keys vs Sloan Stephens and Carlos Alacaraz vs Frances Tiafoe.
Keys has been ranked as high as No. 7 by the World Tennis Association, has played in a Grand Slam tournament final at the 2017 US Open. She was also a semifinalist at the 2016 Rio Olympics.
Stephens has achieved a career-best ranking of No 3 in the world, after Wimbledon in 2018. She was the 2017 US Open champion and has won seven WTA Tour singles titles.
Alcaraz is currently number three in the ATP rankings and the defending Wimbledon champion. He most recently won the French Open, making him the youngest male tennis player to win a Grand Slam on all three playing surfaces (hard, clay and grass).
Tiafoe reached his career high at world No. 10 in singles on June 19, 2023. He won his first of three ATP titles at the 2018 Delray Beach Open, becoming the youngest American man to win a tournament on the ATP Tour since Andy Roddick in 2002.
Keys won the first match in straight sets 7-5 and 6-3. Tiafoe defeated Alcaraz in the second match 5-7, 6-1, 11-9.
It was a nearly packed house at the Spectrum Center with notable attendees including former Carolina Panthers Steve Smith and Greg Olsen, current Panthers’ quarterback Andy Dalton and tennis star Andy Roddick.
While the first match between Keys and Sloan felt like a rigorous practice among friends, Tiafoe and Alcaraz put on a show – interacting with fans and mixing playful volleying with competitive tennis.
The way the Spectrum Center, that usually hosts Charlotte Hornets games, was transformed into a tennis court was so impressive you’d never know basketball would be played there the next night.
All-in all the Charlotte Invitational was a win for tennis, but more importantly it was a win for the Queen City.
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