Controversy Surrounding Saudi Arabia
It’s not a new topic—Saudi Arabia has been at the center of multiple controversies, particularly regarding women’s rights. Several players, including Chris Evert and Martina Navratilova, have voiced opposition to hosting sporting events in the country.
It’s worth recalling that the Saudi investment fund had also made an offer to acquire both the ATP and WTA, eventually being entrusted with organizing the WTA's year-end championship. Additionally, the appointment of Rafael Nadal as an ambassador for Saudi tennis was not universally well-received among fans.
However, it's clear that after making strides in soccer (football), Formula 1, and professional golf (LIV), Saudi Arabia is determined to become a major destination for all sports.
Prize Money for the 6 Kings Slam
The 6 Kings Slam, an exhibition tennis tournament, will take place in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, from October 16 to 19. The six "kings" headlining this event are Novak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal, Jannik Sinner, Carlos Alcaraz, Daniil Medvedev, and Holger Rune.
Since this is not an ATP-sanctioned event, players will not earn any ranking points. However, as is common in exhibition events, it is the lucrative prize money that has drawn six of the world's top players. How generous? Brace yourself, you might feel a little poor after hearing this!
Each of the six participants is guaranteed a minimum prize of $1,500,000 USD, which is nearly equivalent to what Taylor Fritz earned ($1.8M USD) for his runner-up finish at the last U.S. Open. The winner will take home the largest prize in tennis history, a whopping $6,000,000 USD—almost double the prize money for a Grand Slam champion ($3.8M USD).
6 Kings Slam Tournament Format and Schedule
We know the event will be played over three of the four scheduled days, with October 18 serving as a rest day. This follows an ATP rule that players cannot compete on three consecutive days in an exhibition.
The official format has been revealed to be a single-elimination tournament, with 2 players getting byes directly to the semifinals: Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic. There's a good chance it was part of the negociations.
Here is the official schedule:
Wednesday, October 16
Jannik Sinner def. Daniil Medvedev
Carlos Alcaraz def. Holger Rune
Thursday, October 17
Jannik Sinner def. Novak Djokovic
Carlos Alcaraz def. Rafael Nadal
Friday, October 18
Rest Day
Saturday, October 19
12:30PM EST / 6:30PM CET
3rd place match
Novak Djokovic vs. Rafael Nadal
2:30PM EST / 8:30PM CET
Grand final
Jannik Sinner vs. Carlos Alcaraz
6 Kings Slam Broadcasting and Streaming
Dazn has acquired global rights to broadcast 6 Kings Slam, while the deal is not guaranteed to be exclusive, it currently looks set to be, with no other broadcaster yet striking a deal less than three weeks before the competition begins. Watching the exhibition on Dazn will be free, you only have to create an account without the need to subscribe.
Despite the tournament's shortcomings, there's no doubt that we'll witness high-quality tennis. Even though it’s an exhibition, the players are likely to treat it as seriously as a Grand Slam, thanks to the enticing prize money.
To set the mood for the 6 Kings Slam, here is the promotional video released by the Saudi Seasons.
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