Alcaraz, Tiafoe, Anisimova and Raducanu to headline inaugural tennis event at Newark’s Prudential Center

Prudential Center in Newark will host its first professional tennis event on Sunday, Dec. 7, when the inaugural "A Racquet at the Rock" exhibition brings a slate of top-ranked players to the arena.

Spain’s No. 2-ranked Carlos Alcaraz and the United States’ No. 17 Frances Tiafoe are scheduled to play on the men’s side, while U.S. No. 9 Amanda Anisimova and Great Britain’s No. 36 Emma Raducanu are listed for the women’s portion of the program. Prudential Center, home to the New Jersey Devils, Seton Hall Pirates and the New York Sirens, announced the one-night event as its first major tennis showcase.

Alcaraz, 22, said he was looking forward to competing in the New York metropolitan area again. "It is always a lot of fun to be on the court with Frances — we love to compete against each other, and I can’t wait to put on a great show for the fans in Newark," he said. "To play again in the metropolitan area with all the amazing fans, it’s something special. They bring such unique energy, and they love tennis so much. I’m looking forward to December 7 at Prudential Center, it will be a special night of great tennis."

Amanda Anisimova, a New Jersey native born in Freehold Township, said she was excited to return to the region. "It’s a special feeling to return to the place where my tennis dreams first began," she said.

Organizers framed the event as an exhibition-style showcase meant to deliver high-profile matchups in an arena setting. The announced player list pairs two established top-10 and top-20 men with two rising and internationally recognized women players, giving fans an opportunity to see cross-division matchups and headline singles play in a major concert and sports venue.

Prudential Center has hosted professional hockey, college basketball and professional women’s sports events in recent years; the tennis date marks the latest effort to expand its lineup of live-sport attractions. Tickets for the Dec. 7 event were announced in conjunction with the venue’s promotional materials.

Further details about match formats, ticket tiers and support programming for the night were to be provided by event organizers and the arena in the lead-up to the December date. The exhibition is scheduled amid the early portion of the winter sports calendar at the arena, which typically balances NHL, college and other independent events throughout the season.