Carlos Alcaraz tops Frances Tiafoe in Puerto Rico in Battle of Legends

Carlos Alcaraz defeated Frances Tiafoe in the Battle of Legends exhibition held in Puerto Rico, securing the victory in three sets, 6-4, 3-6, 6-4. The event was organized by Rio 2016 gold medalist Monica Puig, who took part in the pre-match activities.

This exhibition in Puerto Rico marked the second edition of Battle of Legends, previously featuring Puig against former world No. 1 Venus Williams. This time, two top ATP players faced off, with Alcaraz holding a 2-1 head-to-head advantage over Tiafoe coming into the match.

After a first set dominated by the Spaniard, who took it 6-4, Tiafoe managed to level the match by winning the second set 6-3. The American provided a fun moment early in the set by handing his racket to former NBA player José Juan Barea, who exchanged a few rallies with Alcaraz.

Read also

Indian Wells shakes things up—new court surface announced after 25 years

A decisive tie-break was played instead of a full third set, where Alcaraz sealed the victory 6-4, 3-6, 6-4. Both players took the match as part of their preparation for Indian Wells.

Alcaraz is a two-time defending champion in Tennis Paradise and will enter the tournament as the second seed. The Spaniard is aiming for his third consecutive Indian Wells title, a feat only achieved by Roger Federer (2004-2006) and Novak Djokovic (2014-2016). Meanwhile, Tiafoe reached the third round in 2024, where he lost in straight sets to Stefanos Tsitsipas.

Read also

“He’s not as consistent as Rafa and Novak at their peak”—Patrick Mouratoglou on Carlos Alcaraz’s biggest challenge

Subscribe to our Newsletter

Unlock your ultimate tennis experience—subscribe today for exclusive access to top stories.

Subscribe