Oct 13, 2026 - Things to Do

Naomi Osaka and other tennis stars to play in Uptown

Ashley Mahoney

Naomi Osaka of Japan warms up before her Ladies Singles first round match against Elsa Jacquemot of France on day one of The Championships Wimbledon 2026 at All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club on June 29, 2026 in London, England. (Photo by Shi Tang/Getty Images) — Naomi Osaka. Photo: Shi Tang/Getty Images

Naomi Osaka, Amanda Anisimova, Frances Tiafoe and Learner Tien will compete in this year's Charlotte Invitational at Spectrum Center on Dec. 11 at 7pm.

Why it matters: The annual tennis showcase has shown the city's appetite for the sport, which helped establish a foundation for the city to pursue hosting the Women's Tennis Association Finals, Miller Yoho of the Charlotte Sports Foundation tells Axios.

Context: CSF kicked off the Charlotte Invitational in 2024 at Spectrum Center, and was part of the effort to secure the WTA Finals and the WTA headquarters.

What to expect: This year's Charlotte Invitational doubleheader will feature Osaka vs. Amanda Anisimova and Tiafoe vs. Tien.

If you go: Presale begins Oct. 14 at 10am if you sign up on the Charlotte Sports Foundation website. Tickets to the general public go on sale on Oct. 15 at 10am.

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Naomi Osaka and other tennis stars to play in Uptown

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