Wimbledon champion Carlos Alcaraz will be aiming to defend his US Open title this year.
How to win a point against Carlos Alcaraz seems to be the most pressing tennis topic these days, and NBA star Jimmy Butler appears to have the solution. In an exhibition match against the reigning US Open champion on Wednesday night in New York, Butler demonstrated his tennis prowess.
Several demonstration matches were played in front of more than 14,000 spectators at Louis Armstrong Stadium as part of the US Open Fan Week. Butler entered the floor with the ball kids following him, and the fans applauded him while “Let Me Clear My Throat” by DJ Kool played in the background.
Butler, a member of the Miami Heat, was present as an honorary ballboy but did not linger on the sidelines for long before deciding to enter the court and pick up a racket. Butler even succeeded in making Alcaraz extend to his right in order to score a point. Although Alcaraz was able to get to the ball, his return was far from the court.
Numerous celebrities attended the glittering ceremony, including Butler and the Colombian musician Sebastian Yatra. There were also notable tennis players present, including Alcaraz, Frances Tiafoe, Elina Svitolina, Gael Monfils, and Christopher Eubanks.
In order to take on Alcaraz and Yatra, Butler partnered with Tiafoe. Tiafoe and Butler were defeated by Alcaraz and Yatra 15-13 in a tiebreak set. Butler was quoted as stating, “Like a dream come true for me,” by the US Open.
“It’s great for the game. It’s great for these guys to come out and support our sport, the sport that we love, and work so hard to play at a high level. I hope you guys really enjoyed the night; that’s what counts,” Tiafoe said.
Last year, Carlos Alcaraz won the US Open in a surprising upset. The Spaniard was aided in becoming the youngest male world number one with his victory in the US Open in 2022. At this year’s Flushing Meadows, the young, brilliant tennis player will have nothing less on his mind.
“I’m really looking forward to returning to the U.S. Open, which is a tournament that has given me so much and where I achieved my dreams. You can win and lose, nobody is invincible. Every match is a world and can change in many ways. The matches (against Djokovic) are very tight, they are very tough… I’m really looking forward to playing in front of the New York crowd,” Alcaraz was quoted as saying by Reuters.