Controversial tournament

Saudis lure Sinner and Co. with a million-dollar fee

Jannik Sinner

(Bild: AP/Andy Wong)

The elaborate promotional video for the Six Kings Slam looks like a trailer for a Hollywood blockbuster - and the tennis stars are all in it. Carlos Alcaraz as a cyborg. Jannik Sinner as a Renaissance artist. Holger Rune as a Viking. Daniil Medvedev as a bear rider. Rafael Nadal as a sand fighter. Novak Djokovic as a wolf tamer.

"There's a lot of nonsense at the Six Kings Slam," commented the New York Times on the show tournament in the desert: "But the trailer? It's awesome."

It is probably the most expensive video production in tennis history - but money is no problem for the organizer. The General Entertainment Authority (GEA) can draw on the Saudi state fund PIF, which has an estimated total volume of 650 billion euros.

No official title, no world ranking points 
The reported entry fee of 1.5 million US dollars for each starter is almost small change compared to this, as is the winner's prize of 6 million US dollars. All this money is part of the strategy to generate attention for an exhibition tournament that is actually irrelevant and in which neither an official title nor world ranking points are at stake.

At the premiere on October 16-19, the six tennis stars will compete in Riyadh in the "ultimate battle", as the organizers have artificially elevated the event. But there is no shortage of superlatives: never before has a show tournament had such a high-class line-up and been as well endowed as the Six Kings Slam, which also takes place during the ATP professional organization's season. This is only possible because no major ATP tournament is scheduled during this period and there is a one-day break in competition. According to the ATP, unofficial events may not take place on three or more consecutive days. For some, this is a clever move to get around the rules.

Djokovic and Nadal already in the semi-finals
Spain's tennis ace Alcaraz will start off against Rune from Denmark, while the Italian world number one Sinner will play against Russia's Medvedev. Already seeded for the semi-finals are record Grand Slam tournament winner Djokovic and Spain's former star Rafael Nadal.

Nadal recently announced his final retirement at the end of the season. Before his farewell at the Davis Cup final in mid-November, the 22-time Grand Slam tournament winner is to fulfill his role as Saudi Arabia's tennis ambassador. He is "very excited to be playing in Riyadh for the first time", said the 38-year-old dutifully. Nadal has not played an official singles match since the end of July when he lost to Djokovic at the Olympics.

Murray: "Show tennis that nobody cares about"
This is another reason why the sporting value of the Six Kings Slam is questionable, especially as the ATP Finals with the eight best tennis players of the year are due to take place three weeks later. It's just "show tennis that nobody cares about", wrote two-time Olympic tennis champion Andy Murray on the X platform.

Andy Murray

(Bild: AP ( via APA) Austria Presse Agentur/ASSOCIATED PRESS)

The WTA Finals for the eight best female players, which will take place in Riyadh for the first time at the beginning of November, are about much more. Tennis icons Chris Evert and Martina Navratilova had expressed their anger in a joint letter to WTA boss Steve Simon before the event was awarded: WTA finals in Saudi Arabia, which is widely criticized for human rights violations, would be "incompatible with the spirit and mission of women's tennis and the WTA". The WTA argued that the money from Saudi Arabia would significantly facilitate efforts to achieve equal pay - the same pay as men - outside of the Grand Slam tournaments.

The fact is: Saudi Arabia is increasing its influence in tennis. A multi-year strategic partnership with the ATP has been in place since February, with the Saudi sovereign wealth fund appearing as the name sponsor of the world rankings and as an official partner at major tournaments, among other things. The Next Gen Finals, the annual finals for the best professionals under the age of 21, are already taking place in Jeddah.

Next step in Saudi Arabia's "Vision 2030"
Saudi Arabia has been investing heavily in sport for years and has also entered the soccer, boxing and Formula 1 business in a big way. The official goals of the "Vision 2030" state plan are to diversify the economy, become less dependent on oil, open up the country to tourists and create attractive offers for its own population. However, the kingdom is also accused of using its involvement in sport to distract attention from its human rights violations and improve its image.