Jannik Sinner Plans Tennis Comeback at Six Kings Slam in Riyadh

“I am ready to return.”

Riyadh Exhibition Marks Unexpected Comeback

World number one Jannik Sinner plans to return to competition before the end of the year at the Six Kings Slam exhibition tournament in Riad, Saudi Arabia.

The 25-year-old Italian confirmed his participation in the late-December event via social media, marking an unexpected turnaround after he announced an early end to his season in October due to ongoing knee problems.

Sinner has not played a competitive match since July, when he defeated Germany’s top player Alexander Zverev in the Wimbledon final.

Magnus Norman Steps Into Coaching Staff

While Sinner prepares for his comeback on the court, significant changes loom in his coaching staff and his position atop the ATP rankings.

The English newspaper The Times reported that Swedish coach Magnus Norman will join Sinner’s team for the upcoming season, replacing Australian coach Darren Cahill. Norman, who previously coached retired Swiss star Stan Wawrinka, is scheduled to share coaching duties with Simone Vagnozzi.

Alexander Zverev Closes In on Top Ranking

Meanwhile, the transition at the summit of men’s tennis is already underway.

Because of his extended injury layoff and missed tournaments, including the US Open, Sinner will yield the number one ranking to Zverev by the end of the year at the latest, as noted by Eurosport. Zverev secured his first Grand-Slam titles this season by winning both the French Open and the US Open.

Star-Studded Field and Millions in Prize Money

The Six Kings Slam in Riad, scheduled to run from December 27 to December 30, carries no ranking points for the ATP Tour. The exhibition event was previously postponed from late October due to the ongoing conflict in the Middle East. Sinner shared a promotional poster for the tournament on his Instagram account on Monday without providing additional commentary.

The tournament field features several top-tier players alongside Sinner. Eurosport confirmed that Zverev, 24-time Grand-Slam champion Novak Djokovic, Carlos Alcaraz, Alex de Minaur, and Taylor Fritz are set to participate in the invitational event.

Financial incentives for the event are substantial. According to reports from Eurosport, every participant receives an automatic appearance fee of 1.34 million euros, while the eventual tournament champion will collect a total of 5.35 million euros.