Six Kings Slam Tennis Tournament in Saudi Arabia Postponed Amidst Riyadh Attacks

The highly anticipated Six Kings tennis tournament, set to feature stars like Carlos Alcaraz, Novak Djokovic, and Alexander Zverev in Saudi Arabia, has been postponed. This decision comes in response to recent attacks on Riyadh. The exhibition event, which was scheduled to host top male players from October 21-24 and broadcast live on Netflix, has been rescheduled for December 27-30.

The postponement is attributed to the ongoing attacks on Riyadh's airports by Iran-backed Houthi rebels. The tournament was to be held at the ANB Arena, located approximately 30km from King Khalid International Airport.

Other prominent players slated to compete included Taylor Fritz, Alex de Minaur, and Learner Tien. Organizers stated, "The decision reflects Riyadh Season's commitment to delivering sporting events to the highest standards, following an assessment of the organisational and logistical challenges associated with hosting the tournament and their potential impact on the quality of the audience experience."

This marks the third edition of the tournament, which offers £1.2 million per player and an additional £3.5 million for the winner. Jannik Sinner has been the victor in previous editions, defeating Alcaraz in the final on both occasions.

The postponement coincides with a week that saw three Saudi Pro League fixtures delayed due to "logistical considerations." This followed the involvement of Riyadh-based clubs Al Hilal and Nassr, along with Jeddah teams Ahli and Al Ittihad, in AFC Champions League matches.

Notably, Al Nassr's match against Uzbek side Neftchi Fergan, which featured Cristiano Ronaldo scoring in a 3-1 victory, was delayed by 20 minutes due to a security alert issued by Saudi Arabia's Civil Defence.

Furthermore, golf's Asian Tour announced it is monitoring the security situation ahead of the Saudi International, scheduled to take place in Riyadh from November 18 to 21. "Any changes to the schedule will be announced as soon as we have determined the right course of action for our players, fans and partners," the Asian Tour stated. "The PIF Saudi International is incredibly important to the Asian Tour as our season finale, however the safety of our players, staff and service teams is always our number one priority."