World No. 29 Emma Raducanu was all set to take on World No. 4 Amanda Anisimova, but plans changed. Raducanu is now out of the A Racquet at The Rocke exhibition event. That means Anisimova will face a tough new challenge: World No. 6 Jessica Pegula.

But this version of Pegula looks more confident, especially after her defeat to Elena Rybakina in the ATP Finals. It seems like the perfect time for her to show the world what she’s capable of. And just before the game, Pegula shared her honest take on the upcoming match.

On November 17, @PruCenter shared a poster for the upcoming tennis event on December 7. It features four stars: Amanda Anisimova, Jessica Pegula, Carlos Alcaraz, and Frances Tiafoe. As soon as it went up, Pegula jumped in to comment: “Can’t wait to see you guys there!” Clearly, she’s pumped, and why wouldn’t she be? After all, this will be the first tennis event in the Prudential Center’s 18-year history.

But this isn’t just any regular event; it’s a little different.  It features two best-of-three matches, with a 10-point tiebreaker instead of a full third set. The opening match will see US Open and Wimbledon finalist Amanda Anisimova take on 2024 US Open finalist Jessica Pegula. With Pegula in the lineup, two of the Top 6 women in the world will be on the court, and history suggests she has the edge.

In fact, Jessica Pegula leads their head-to-head record 3-0, including their most recent showdown on August 12, 2024, at the National Bank Open final in Toronto, which she won 6‑3, 2‑6, 6‑1. Going further back, Pegula also beat Anisimova in Charleston in 2024 (6‑3, 4‑6, 6‑3) and Cincinnati in 2020 (7‑5, 6‑2).

Considering her record and current form, Pegula seems ready to make a strong statement. But while everything seems set for an exciting match, fans are left wondering: why did Emma Raducanu withdraw?

Two potential withdrawals from the exhibition event

Emma Raducanu has withdrawn from her December exhibition because of a minor right-foot injury. Raducanu has light bone bruising in her right foot but is still fit enough to train. Instead of competing, she will head to Barcelona for a pre-season training block to restore peak physical condition and reduce stress on the injury. While Raducanu is out, it seems another star player might also withdraw.

Carlos Alcaraz is scheduled to play against Frances Tiafoe, but a recent hamstring injury has cast doubt over his participation. Alcaraz was injured during last week’s ATP Finals, when he went down injured in the first set. Ultimately, despite the heavy taping and the medical timeout he took, he lost 7‑6(4), 7‑5 to World No. 2 Jannik Sinner. Though Alcaraz played down the injury in his presser, further testing revealed he had an edema.

As of November 18, he also withdrew from the Davis Cup. The 22-year-old Spanish star explained on X: “I’m so sorry to announce that I won’t be able to play for Spain in the Davis Cup in Bologna. I have an edema in my right hamstring, and the medical recommendation is not to compete.”

With both Raducanu and Alcaraz dealing with injuries, fans are left wondering if the Spanish star will recover in time for the December 7 exhibition. Only time will tell.