Rafael Nadal, a 22-time Grand Slam singles champion, will return to the hard courts to headline The MGM Slam Presented by Capital One on Sunday, Feb. 28, 2027, at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. It will be his first time on court since he retired from professional tennis in November 2024.
Nadal said he remembers how impressive it was to feel the energy of a full arena in Las Vegas. “After that match in 2024, now I return in a different stage of my life, without the pressure of the tour but with the same passion for this sport,” he said. He added that even though his professional career is finished, “that feeling never really goes away.”
The event marks its fourth consecutive year as a cornerstone of the spring professional tennis calendar. Nadal will be joined by some of the world’s current top players competing for a top prize pool. The additional players, the official event format and the broadcast partner will be announced in the coming weeks.
Nadal, who won a record 14 French Open singles titles, faced fellow Spaniard Carlos Alcaraz at T-Mobile Arena in 2024. That sold-out match was streamed worldwide on Netflix. At the 2026 event, eight ATP men’s stars, including top-ranked American Taylor Fritz, played a 10-point tiebreaker format. Brazil’s Joao Fonseca defeated American Reilly Opelka to win.
MGM Rewards and AXS members have priority access to pre-sale tickets from Tuesday, Oct. 27, at 10 a.m. PT to Thursday, Oct. 29, at 10 p.m. PT, or while pre-sale tickets last. Public sales begin Friday, Oct. 30, at 10 a.m. PT through AXS.com. In the coming weeks, Capital One rewards cardholders will be able to secure exclusive ticket packages on Capital One Entertainment.
“Las Vegas is the stage for champions, and we are ecstatic to have Rafael Nadal, one of the greatest champions in tennis history, return for ‘The MGM Slam,’” said Ryan Abboushi, MGM Resorts’ president of entertainment. “His presence elevates the entire event and reinforces our reputation for delivering world-class sports and entertainment.”
Nadal said he thanks MGM Resorts and Capital One for the invitation. He called the chance to play again at T-Mobile Arena against one of today’s top players “a beautiful opportunity” to give something back to the fans who supported him for so many years.
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