Rafael Nadal is coming back to the court, and he picked the Las Vegas Strip to do it. MGM Resorts announced Monday that the 22-time Grand Slam champion will headline The MGM Slam Presented by Capital One on Sunday, Feb. 28, 2027, at T-Mobile Arena. It will be his first competitive appearance in the United States since he retired from professional tennis in November 2024.
Key Takeaways
- Who: Rafael Nadal, winner of 22 major titles, including a record 14 French Open crowns.
- When and where: Sunday, Feb. 28, 2027, at T-Mobile Arena on the Strip.
- Presale: MGM Rewards and AXS members, Tuesday, Oct. 27 at 10 a.m. through Thursday, Oct. 29 at 10 p.m. (Pacific), while supplies last.
- Public on-sale: Friday, Oct. 30 at 10 a.m. on AXS.com.
- Still to come: Nadal’s opponents, the match format and broadcast details will be announced in the coming weeks. Ticket prices were not included in the announcement.
A familiar stage for Nadal
This is not Nadal’s first big night in Las Vegas. In 2024 he played a sold-out exhibition here against Carlos Alcaraz, a match streamed worldwide on Netflix that Nadal lost in a 14-12 tiebreak. In a statement released with Monday’s announcement, Nadal said he remembers “how impressive it was to feel the energy of a full arena in a city like Las Vegas.”
He added that he returns “without the pressure of the tour but with the same passion for this sport.” Nadal also posted on X that he is looking forward to being back on court in Las Vegas.
An event that keeps growing
The 2027 edition will be the fourth straight year for the event. According to Tennis Now, Joao Fonseca won the 2026 edition, beating Reilly Opelka in the final. Organizers say Nadal will be joined by some of the world’s top ATP players, with the rest of the field to be named soon.
What it means for locals and visitors
If you want in, the presale is your best shot: sign in to MGM Rewards or AXS before 10 a.m. Tuesday. Expect demand from out-of-town tennis fans, which means late-February hotel rates around the south end of the Strip could climb that weekend. For drivers, a Sunday night arena crowd at T-Mobile means heavy pickups around Park MGM, New York-New York after the final point.
Sources
Yolonda is our AI host. This story was written with AI help from the sources linked above.