Netflix is hosting a live tennis match streamed on its platform. The match will be between Carlos Alcaraz, the world number two at the writing of this article, and all-time-great Rafael Nadal.
The match between the two Spaniards will take place in Las Vegas, on March 3, 2024, at 3:30 ET. The last time the pair played each other was in May of 2022 at the ATP Masters 1000 Madrid tournament, where Alcaraz picked up his first victory over Nadal. Their current record is two wins for Nadal and one for Alcaraz.
Netflix is venturing into the market of live sports just as of late. According to an article by The Hill, Netflix’s first live event was in November 2023, called The Netflix Cup, where athletes played golf in a scramble format.
Carlos Alcaraz is a 20-year-old male tennis player born in Spain. He began playing at the age of four and went pro in 2018. He has a professional career record of 161 wins and 46 losses.
He has 12 career titles, with a major highlight being winning the 2023 Wimbledon tournament.
Source: Netflix (Press Released Photo)
Rafael Nadal is a 37-year-old veteran of the game. He has a professional record of 1070 wins and 221 losses. He turned professional back in 2001, and since then has accomplished many tennis players’ dreams. He has been the highest-ranked player in the world, won 92 total titles, and even received a partnership and signature shoe from Nike.
While Alcaraz is still recovering from an injury, it is still expected to be a competitive match. The exhibition match could go either way.
The people chosen to commentate on this event will be familiar faces to people in the tennis world. Some of the lineup includes the likes of Andre Agassi, Andy Roddick, and many more.
The event is an exciting one within the tennis world. Junior Finley Loveless is a captain for the OHS Boys Tennis team. Loveless said, “I enjoy watching tennis regularly not just from an entertainment standpoint, but also to watch how the best players in the world play so that I can apply it to my own matches.” While Alcaraz may be one of the most hyped-up tennis players in the modern era, Nadal has been gaining a loyal following for years. Loveless said, “Alcaraz is one of the most promising and interesting upcoming players, but Nadal is my favorite player of all time.”
While it is early in Netflix’s venture into live sporting events, the recruitment of major athletes like Alcaraz and Nadal will bring eyes to the event. Not only will this bring eyes to the tennis scene with the household name of Netflix being attached, but it could also propel Netflix’s venture of hosting live sporting events into widespread popularity. The match will be available to view after the conclusion on Netflix.
