The Six Kings Slam tennis exhibition in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, has been postponed to late December following a series of fatal attacks by the Houthi militia that forced the temporary closure of the capital’s international airport, sportschau.de reported.
Airport Closures Force Rescheduling in Riyadh
Organizers announced that the high-profile tournament, originally scheduled to run from October 21 to 24, will now take place from December 27 to 30. The decision follows deadly attacks in the region carried out by the Yemen-based Houthi militia, which prompted authorities to shut down the international airport in Riyadh. According to tournament officials, the flight suspension was initially slated to last through the weekend, scrambling travel logistics for incoming players and staff alike.
Calendar Strain on Alexander Zverev and Top Contenders
The revised December dates place the lucrative exhibition directly into the heavy training and preparation block for the Australian Open, which begins in Melbourne in January. Germany’s top-ranked player Alexander Zverev headlines the player field, alongside Carlos Alcaraz, Novak Djokovic, Taylor Fritz, and Alex de Minaur, as detailed by T-Online. Meanwhile, Italian star Jannik Sinner had already ended his season early due to injury, though reports from SPORT1 indicated American player Learner Tien was slated to step in as a replacement before the security-related postponement was announced.
New line-up for this year’s “Six Kings Slam” in Saudi Arabia has been confirmed for OctoberCarlos AlcarazJannik SinnerNovak DjokovicAlexander ZverevAlex de MinaurTaylor Fritz
Financial Stakes Versus Ranking Points
While the Six Kings Slam offers zero ATP rankings points because it sits outside the official tour calendar, the event draws elite talent with massive guaranteed payouts. According to tournament disclosures cited by bluewin.ch, competitors vie for multimillion-dollar compensation packages. In the 2025 edition of the exhibition, Sinner collected a $1.5 million appearance fee alongside a $4.5 million winner’s prize, establishing a precedent for the financial scale of the Riyadh showcase.
December 27 to 30 Competition Window
With the General Entertainment Authority, led by chairman Turki Al-Sheikh, locking in the new end-of-year window, attention now turns to whether all originally committed players will maintain their participation status once the tournament resumes in late December.
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