Nadal, prize money, Saudi Arabia: Everything you always wanted to know about the Six Kings Slam (but never had time to find out)
We answer all the questions you may have about the upcoming tennis exhibition in Saudi Arabia
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What is the Six Kings Slam?
The Six Kings Slam is a tennis exhibition event that will take place in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, in October 2024. It features six male players competing over the course of three days as part of the Riyadh Season.
When is the Six Kings Slam?
The Six Kings Slam starts on October 16 and will conclude on October 19. However, there is no play on October 18.
Who is competing at the Six Kings Slam?
The following players will be competing at the Six Kings Slam:
- Jannik Sinner
- Carlos Alcaraz
- Novak Djokovic
- Daniil Medvedev
- Holger Rune
- Rafael Nadal
What is the Six Kings Slam prize money?
In typical Saudi Arabian style, an enormous purse is up for grabs at the Six Kings Slam. Here’s the breakdown:
- Each player is guaranteed $1.5 million for participating
- The winner receives a further $6 million
This means that the winner of the Six Kings Slam will net almost twice that of winning a Grand Slam, walking away with $7.5 million.
What is the schedule and format of the Six Kings Slam?
As mentioned, the event takes place from October 16-19, with a one-day break.
The format is a straight knockout, with Djokovic and Nadal receiving byes into the semi-finals. A third-place playoff will also be held, ensuring that the tournament’s two biggest names each compete twice.
Here’s the exact order of play:
- Wednesday, October 16: Medvedev vs Sinner and Rune vs Alcaraz (quarter-finals)
- Thursday, October 17: Djokovic vs Medvedev/Sinner and Nadal vs Rune/Alcaraz (semi-finals)
- Friday, October 18: No play
- Saturday, October 19: Final and third place match
Why is there a rest day at the Six Kings Slam?
The ATP Tour has a stipulation that players are not allowed to compete for three consecutive days in an exhibition event. In Saudi Arabia, Friday happens to be the official weekly holiday due to its religious significance in the nation, also known as the “home of Islam”.
Why is Holger Rune playing at the Six Kings Slam?
Rune is the only player competing at the Six Kings Slam who has not won a Grand Slam. He is also currently ranked outside the top 10, at No 14 in the world. So why is he there?
Ultimately, the Saudi Arabian organisers had the final say on who would compete at the event, so there is no objective qualification criteria. However, Rune has long been touted as a future rival for Sinner and Alcaraz. He has shown flashes of brilliance in the past, peaking at world No 4, and has picked up wins over all of the other players at the Six Kings Slam except for Nadal.
What did Andy Murray say about the Six Kings Slam?
The recently retired Andy Murray gave a scathing review of the Six Kings Slam in September 2024, saying:
“Except it’s not a movie and you won’t watch it because it’s an exhibition tennis event that nobody cares about,” in response to a tweet by British tennis player Liam Broady who was praising the Six Kings promo video.
What’s so special about the Six Kings Slam trailer?
A five-minute long trailer was released to promote the Six Kings Slam last month. It features each of the six players as different characters emphasising their unique traits, such as Djokovic levitating and stopping a ball with the power of his mind, and Rune chartering a Viking longboat.
The promo received plenty of attention online, with Liam Broady saying, “Speechless as to how damn cool this promo is. Probably best I’ve ever seen in tennis. Would watch this movie. 10/10.”
