ACES WILD

Some of the great tennis rivalries of the past few years get an early jump on the season at the Garden with some real showdown tennis. Center court showcases three-time grand-slam champion, No. 2-ranked Maria Sharapova versus No. 4 Caroline Wozniacki, followed by No. 3 Roger Federer—who held the No. 1 slot for a record 237 weeks—versus Andy Roddick, who has been to four Grand Slam finals and held the record for the fastest serve, 155 mph, from 2004 to 2011. The BNP Paribas Showdown (matches are the best of three sets) kicks off Tennis Night in America, the United States Tennis Association’s youth-recruitment program that encourages learning to play tennis through special registration events and community tennis clubs. Tickets at Ticketmaster start at $60, with courtside seats going for $375, a bargain compared to other tournaments of this quality.

Mon., March 5, 7 p.m., 2012