Bad news for tennis lovers! What could have been a star-studded showdown in Las Vegas will now be just a less exciting tennis affair. As if Jannik Sinner pulling back from the upcoming MGM Rewards Slam wasn’t enough, another name has been confirmed to drop out from the line-up. Due to serving a doping ban, for three months, the World No.1 won’t be seen swinging his racket this weekend in Las Vegas. Plus, American pro, Taylor Fritz has also backed out due to a persistent injury. That’s not a good look.

Unfortunately, the anticipated men’s battle at this week’s exhibition event has been indefinitely postponed. It was scheduled to take place on March 2, Sunday. Interestingly, a new date hasn’t been announced as well. In short, ATP fans will have to wait longer to get a crucial update. Previously, names like Casper Ruud, Alexander Zverev, and Tommy Paul including Sinner and Fritz were expected to compete at the MGM Rewards Slam. “Hosted by MGM Resorts, this exciting exhibition will unfold March 1–2, 2025, inside Michelob ULTRA Arena at Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino.” reads an official description on the event’s website.

Sinner accepted a 90-day ban from WADA a few days back following his doping controversy. He is allowed to compete only when his suspension concludes on May 4. On the other hand, Fritz has been in pain for the last few weeks. Following his third-round exit down under last month, the World No.4 failed to impress at the Dallas Open. After losing to Canada’s Denis Shapovalov, he was ousted in the second round. Then at the Delray Beach Open, he reached the QF stage only to crash out with a defeat against Spain’s Alejandro Davidovich. But the main reason for his struggling form was an abdominal injury.

Earlier this week, he opted to withdraw from the Acapulco. “Really sad that I have to pull out of Acapulco this year. I’ve been dealing with an abdominal injury since the week before Dallas. I have been playing through the injury, hoping that it could get better because several parts of my game were and still are pain-free,” Fritz wrote on Instagram.

“I can’t play 100% and am avoiding certain shots or just hitting shots differently than I normally would to avoid the pain.” While Fritz and Sinner won’t be there, the MGM Rewards Slam will still boast several prominent tennis figures. Especially when it comes to the WTA side.

Despite no Jannik Sinner, Aryna Sabalenka and Naomi Osaka’s presence in Las Vegas to hype the hype

Yes, that’s right. The women stars are set to take on the court in this week’s anticipated exhibition event. In late January, Aryna Sabalenka‘s participation was confirmed following her post on Instagram. “Excited to announce that I’ll be at The MGM Rewards Slam in Las Vegas! See ya there, March 1st @mgmrewards,” she wrote. The post featured the World No.1 and three-time Major winner alongside four-time Slam queen Naomi Osaka.

The buzz around a player like Sabalenka is expected to bring in lots of spectators for the event, set for March 1 on Saturday. Hoping for an amazing experience this year, MGM Resorts’ Senior Vice President of Sports and Sponsorship Lance Evans said, “We anticipate creating another memorable event experience, as tennis fans worldwide will enjoy watching the sport’s best players compete at the highest level in Las Vegas”

The inspiration for this exhibition comes from last year’s Netflix Slam. It featured names like former World No.1 Carlos Alcaraz and 22-time Major winner Rafael Nadal locking horns. Back in March 2024, Alcaraz emerged as the winner as he beat the 14-time Roland Garros champion 6-3, 6-4.

It will be intriguing to see how the MGM Rewards Slam turns out this weekend. Are you excited to watch the action in Las Vegas? Let us know in the comments below.