Today in Riyadh, the Six Kings Slam begins, marking the highest-paid tennis tournament in history. Although not part of the ATP circuit, the event is categorized as a simple “exhibition,” yet it is undoubtedly a showcase of (super) luxury. Just for participating, the six top tennis players in the world will earn $1.5 million, with additional millions awarded for victories, culminating in a whopping $6 million for the tournament winner.
The stars taking the court include Jannik Sinner, Carlos Alcaraz, Daniil Medvedev, Novak Djokovic, Rafa Nadal, and Holger Rune. Among the top five players, only Alexander Zverev will be absent, while Nadal, who is nearing retirement, and Danish player Rune are the only participants outside the top ten in the rankings. The player to beat is undoubtedly world number one Sinner, fresh off yet another ATP trophy won in China this year, solidifying his position to end the calendar year at the top.
As Sinner awaits a final ruling on the Clostebol case, he aims to capitalize in Saudi Arabia to ensure he reaches peak form for the ATP Finals. Should he emerge victorious there without losing a match, he could earn an additional $4.4 million—a record figure for the circuit, but still far from the extravagant payouts of the Saudi exhibition.
