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
Although the exact format of the 6 Kings Slam hasn't been revealed, 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.
This suggests a single-elimination format:
Wednesday, October 16: Quarterfinals
Thursday, October 17: Semifinals
Friday, October 18: Rest Day
Saturday, October 19: Final
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.
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