The name “Six Kings” comes from the fact that six male tennis stars are invited to compete in a knockout-style format for bragging rights – is a high-profile exhibition tennis tournament held in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia as part of the broader Riyadh Season entertainment festival. It is not sanctioned by the ATP, so the matches do not award ranking points to the players. The tournament is designed as a spectacle – featuring top stars, large prize money, dramatic presentation, and heavy media exposure. This single elimination / knockout style with six players (two players receive byes into the semifinals) will be staged at the ANB Arena in Riyadh, shortly after the Shanghai Rolex Masters. It is part of the local Riyadh Season, which is a festival of music and sporting entertainment in the city. Alongside the competition itself, the trailers and posters for the Six Kings Slam give it an extra bit of style and hype.
The opening round encounters at the 2025 Six Kings Slam will be played on Wednesday, 15 October. Meanwhile, the final is set to take place on Saturday, 18 October. World No. 2 Jannik Sinner will challenge Stefanos Tsitsipas in Round-1, with the winner taking on 24-time Grand Slam champion Novak Djokovic. Meanwhile, Alexander Zverev and Taylor Fritz will renew an old rivalry in order to determine who faces Carlos Alcaraz.
The first Six Kings Slam took place October 16-19, 2024 (with October 18 as rest day) in Riyadh.
Six players competed: Novak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal, Jannik Sinner, Carlos Alcaraz, Daniil Medvedev, Holger Rune.
The final was won by Jannik Sinner, who defeated Carlos Alcaraz in three sets (6-7, 6-3, 6-3).
Novak Djokovic took third place over Rafael Nadal.
Sinner’s win netted him the largest single check in tennis history at the time: $6 million (plus his base guarantee).
Because of the large prize and the star-studded field, the tournament gained immediate attention (and some criticism) in its first edition.
ORIGINALLY, THE 2025 EDITION WAS ANNOUNCED TO FEATURE:
Jannik Sinner (defending champion) / Carlos Alcaraz / Novak Djokovic / Alexander Zverev / Taylor Fritz / Jack Draper.
However, due to an arm injury sustained during the US Open, Jack Draper withdrew and was replaced by Stefanos Tsitsipas. Among the six, Alcaraz and Djokovic are seeded and will skip the first round directly into the semifinals.
The remaining four (Sinner vs Tsitsipas, Zverev vs Fritz) will battle in Round 1 to advance. This structure means that some players must play two matches (quarter → semi → final), while Alcaraz and Djokovic only play two matches in total (semifinal, final) if they go all the way.
This has already sparked reaction from fans upset that the defending champion Sinner doesn’t receive a bye.
One of the most compelling features of Six Kings Slam is its money. Each participant is guaranteed a minimum $1,500,000 for showing up! The winner’s total payout is pegged at $6,000,000!
The total prize pool is reported at $13,500,000 for this year.
To put that in perspective: the winner’s payout in this event is higher than what singles champions have taken home at recent Grand Slams. As the event is an exhibition, the money serves as the real reward – ranking points aren’t at stake.
According to official streaming partner Netflix, the event will utilize over 20 specialized cameras, including wirecam, drones, robotic cameras, augmented reality graphics, and more to enhance viewer experience.
The fact that a major entertainment streaming service is hosting live sports demonstrates how the event is positioned not just as tennis, but as a spectacle.