This year’s Six Kings Slam has been postponed until late December amid escalating regional tensions and significant disruptions to air travel in Saudi Arabia.
The third edition of the lucrative six-man exhibition, originally scheduled for October 21, 22 and 24 in Riyadh, will now take place from December 27-30, 2026, according to an announcement from Riyadh Season shared by Jon Wertheim.
The decision comes in the wake of a series of deadly attacks on Riyadh’s King Khalid International Airport by Yemen’s Houthi rebels, which have forced the suspension of airport operations and prompted international airlines to cancel flights to the Saudi capital.
“The decision reflects Riyadh Season’s commitment to delivering sporting events to the highest standards, following an assessment of the organizational and logistical challenges associated with hosting the tournament and their potential impact on the quality of the audience experience,” the statement read.
The postponement affects an exhibition featuring Carlos Alcaraz, Novak Djokovic, Alexander Zverev, Taylor Fritz, Alex de Minaur and Learner Tien.
The December time works for players who will be travelling to Australia, but what isn’t clear is what the status of the region will be in two months’ time.
The Six Kings Slam is the most lucrative exhibtion tennis, offering each participant a guaranteed $1.5 million appearance fee and a total payday of $6 million to the champion.
Sinner filled his pockets at the first two editions, defeating Alcaraz in the final on both occasions.
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