Djokovic and Nadal Headline ‘Six Kings Slam’ in Saudi Arabia Tennis

Saudi Arabia is set to organize a prestigious tennis exhibition called the ‘Six Kings Slam’ in October, featuring top players like Novak Djokovic and Rafa Nadal, as announced by the country’s General Entertainment Authority. The event, which is part of the Saudi cultural and entertainment festival Riyadh Season, will also include three other Grand Slam champions: Carlos Alcaraz, Jannik Sinner, Daniil Medvedev, and Holger Rune.

Recently crowned Australian Open champion Sinner and Dane Rune, the only player among the six without a Grand Slam title, are also confirmed to participate. Nadal, who recently became an ambassador for the Saudi Arabian Tennis Federation, expressed his eagerness to play in Riyadh for the first time, as stated in a press release.

Typically, exhibition matches in the Gulf region are held during the ATP off-season or after its conclusion. However, the ATP’s October schedule is usually packed with mandatory Masters 1000 tournaments in cities like Shanghai and Paris.

Beyond this event, Saudi Arabia will host the Next Gen Finals for men’s under-21 players in Jeddah from 2023 to 2027, a move announced by the ATP last August. The country has been increasingly investing in various sports, including soccer, Formula One, and golf.

Despite these developments, Saudi Arabia has faced criticism for using sports to divert attention from its record on human rights and equality issues. The potential hosting of the women’s WTA Finals in Saudi Arabia has sparked controversy, with tennis legends Chris Evert and Martina Navratilova voicing their objections. This stance has elicited a strong response from the Saudi ambassador to the U.S. in the past week.