Best moments from US Open exhibition ft. Jimmy Butler scoring vs Carlos Alcaraz & Sebastian Yatra's Rafael Nadal-taught skills vs Frances Tiafoe

Carlos Alcaraz and Frances Tiafoe participated in the Stars of the Open exhibition event at the 2023 US Open
Carlos Alcaraz and Frances Tiafoe participated in the Stars of the Open exhibition event at the 2023 US Open

The US Open crowd was treated to a star-studded contest as Carlos Alcaraz and Frances Tiafoe shared the court with NBA icon Jimmy Butler and Columbian singer Sebastian Yatra.

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The 2023 US Open fan week is underway. On Wednesday, August 23, numerous top players, including Elina Svitolina, Gael Monfils, Christopher Eubanks, Carlos Alcaraz, and Frances Tiafoe, took the court for the Stars of the Open charity event to raise money for humanitarian relief in Ukraine.

Turning the clock back, former players John McEnroe and Gabriela Sabatini also showed off their profound skills during a doubles match, partnering with Jessica Pegula and Matteo Berrettini, respectively. Meanwhile, Alcaraz and Tiafoe were joined by special guests - Miami Heat star Jimmy Butler and musical icon Sebastian Yatra.

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The exhibition matches were played at the Louis Armstrong Stadium and witnessed a great turnout.

Here are five memorable moments from the Carlos Alcaraz-Sebastian Yatra vs Frances Tiafoe-Jimmy Butler doubles encounter at the US Open:


#1 Jimmy Butler crashes the US Open as ball boy

Being a ball kid at a tennis tournament is a challenge on its own. Those chosen for the task undergo rigorous training in the months leading up to the Grand Slams.

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Jimmy Butler left no stone unturned either. The Miami Heat star trained for the big night and entered the stadium with ‘Let Me Clear My Throat’ playing in the background.

He surprised the US Open crowd by taking a lap around the court alongside the other ball kids and promptly stood in his corner as he assumed his new role.

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#2 Sebastian Yatra joins Carlos Alcaraz, asks Jimmy Butler to partner with Frances Tiafoe

Grammy-nominated artist Sebastian Yatra, who is gearing up to headline the Sounds of the Open on August 25, partnered with Carlos Alcaraz for the match.

He also hilariously insisted that Jimmy Butler drop his role as a ball boy and pick up a racquet to join Frances Tiafoe on the court.

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“Yo. I just happen to be here. I don’t know why. Yo, Jimmy. Where you going? I got more racquets. It’s USA versus Spain and Latin America,” he said.
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#3 Sebastian Yatra uses his Rafael Nadal-taught skills to score against Tiafoe and Butler

Sebastian Yatra came out with all guns blazing, having recently hit the practice court with Rafael Nadal in the lead-up to the event.

He made the Spaniard proud as he was quick on his feet against Frances Tiafoe’s underarm serve and ended the rally by hitting a winner.

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In a singles duel between him and Butler, the Columbian stunned the crowd when he hit a backhand cross-court winner to seal the deal.

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#4 Jimmy Butler shows how it's done against Carlos Alcaraz

Jimmy Butler shocked Carlos Alcaraz in a hilarious rally as he gave the Spaniard a taste of his own medicine. In a duel against the World No. 1, the basketball player was seen asking Frances Tiafoe for tips. Seconds later, he took the matter into his own hands and decided to trick Alcaraz with drop shots.

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As the US Open champion came forward to chase the shot, Butler smartly responded with a crosscourt winner.

It is safe to say, Butler, a massive supporter of the Spaniard, has watched enough of his matches to learn his tricks.

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#5 Yatra gives a shoutout as Rafael Nadal misses the US Open - "Rafa told me he really needed a strong representative"

Rafael Nadal won’t be contesting the US Open this year due to his prolonged struggle with injury. Sebastian Yatra revealed that was contesting the match with Carlos Alcaraz as a “strong” representative of the Spaniard amid his absence.

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“Rafa told me he wasn’t going to be at the tournament this year and he really needed a strong representative,” Yatra joked. “This time it couldn’t be a Spaniard, so he sent a Columbian.”
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He also said that he will consider competing in the US Open doubles event with Alcaraz in 2024.

“And Carlos is always telling me about playing doubles at the US Open. So, I’ll think about it for next year,” Yatra joked.

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Edited by Samya Majumdar
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