World’s top tennis stars fight for millions in Saudi Arabia’s six kings slam showdown
A glittering clash of tennis royalty is set to unfold in Saudi Arabia this week as the Six Kings Slam returns, bringing together six of the sport’s biggest names in a spectacle fuelled by staggering wealth and global attention.
The three-day exhibition event, hosted in Riyadh, boasts $4.5 million (£3.4m) in prize money, making it one of the most lucrative showcases in tennis history. Reports suggest the winner could pocket up to $6 million (£4.5m) eclipsing even the payouts of major Grand Slam champions.
In a line-up brimming with star power, Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner, currently ranked the top two in the world, lead the charge. They are joined by Alexander Zverev, Novak Djokovic, Taylor Fritz, and Stefanos Tsitsipas five of the world’s top ten players. British star Jack Draper was initially slated to compete but withdrew after ending his season early due to an arm injury.
Embed from Getty Images
The Six Kings Slam is no ordinary tournament. Unlike the ATP circuit, it offers no ranking points and no official head-to-head records. Instead, it’s a high-profile exhibition built for entertainment, prestige, and extraordinary financial reward.
The competition begins at the quarter-final stage, featuring Sinner versus Tsitsipas and Zverev against Fritz. Top seeds Alcaraz and Djokovic receive automatic byes to the semi-finals, a privilege befitting their global status. Each match follows a three-set format, designed to keep the pace sharp and the drama constant.
The tournament unfolds over Wednesday, Thursday, and Saturday, avoiding consecutive-day matches as per ATP exhibition regulations. This format ensures both rest and spectacle giving audiences fresh, top-quality tennis across each session.
This year’s venue, The Venue, an 8,000-seat arena in Riyadh, serves as the grand stage for the showdown. The event forms part of the kingdom’s Riyadh Season, an annual festival showcasing international sports, concerts, and cultural attractions.
The Six Kings Slam’s appeal extends far beyond its prize fund. The event will be broadcast live on Netflix, after debuting on DAZN last year, marking another bold step in tennis’s growing crossover with global streaming platforms. The move is expected to draw millions of viewers, adding cinematic flair to an already star-studded affair.
Reigning champion Jannik Sinner enters as the man to beat, having captured the inaugural title in 2024 with a victory over rival Alcaraz. Their rivalry, a defining narrative in modern tennis, adds another layer of intrigue to this year’s edition.
While purists may frown at the lack of ranking points, few can deny the allure of such a high-stakes event. The eye-watering sums, the glamour of the setting, and the calibre of talent make the Six Kings Slam a sporting spectacle unlike any other.
It also underscores Saudi Arabia’s growing influence in global sport. The kingdom has poured billions into attracting elite competitions from football to boxing and tennis is now firmly part of that expansion. By luring the game’s top stars with unprecedented rewards, Riyadh is rewriting the economics of exhibition play.
For players, the event offers more than cash it’s a platform to showcase artistry and rivalry without the constraints of rankings or ATP politics. Yet behind the smiles and showmanship, the competition remains fierce. Every rally, serve, and winner still carries the pride of global champions hungry to prove their dominance even off the official tour.
When the final ball lands this weekend, one player will not only claim the Six Kings crown but also one of the biggest single paydays in tennis history. The rest will leave richer for the experience, if not for the result and the sport itself will leave with fresh proof that, when the money is right, even kings are willing to perform