The exhibition tournament (organized from October 16 to 19) in which four of the five best players in the world are registered, but also Rafael Nadal, promises generous guarantees for the participants, and a big jackpot for the winner.
Between two generously paid exhibitions, Carlos Alcaraz happened to denounce the infernal pace imposed by the ATP and all these compulsory tournaments which threaten to “kill” the players. The observation does not, however, convince him to lighten his schedule. Alcaraz would even tend to weigh down an already copious menu by adding an exhibition having no impact on his career, which is also scheduled in a busy period, when nothing obliges him to do so, except the greed.
“Sometimes I don’t feel motivated at all, but I play my best tennis when I’m smiling and having fun on the court,” he explained last month, on the sidelines of the Laver Cup. There is no doubt that the Spaniard is preparing to show off his best smile this week in Saudi Arabia. The Spaniard will make his comeback in Riyadh, having already played an exhibition match there, against Novak Djokovic, on December 27, 2023. From his point of view, there is once again reason to be enthusiastic.
Nearly 6 million euros promised to the winner
The world No. 2 is registered for the first edition of a brand new richly endowed exhibition, the “Six Kings Slam”. A purely lucrative event bringing together a dream lineup, from Wednesday October 16 to Saturday October 19, 2024. Alongside the Spaniard? The Serbian Novak Djokovic, record holder of Grand Slam titles, but also Rafael Nadal, who will probably play one of the last matches of his career before bowing out in the Davis Cup. Both will be exempt from the first round.
World No. 1 Jannik Sinner, winner of the Australian Open and the US Open, will also be there after his triumph at the Masters 1000 in Shanghai. The Dane Holger Rune and the Russian Daniil Medvedev complete the picture.
The goal for all these renowned players? Win the title and above all cash the check for 6 million dollars (5.5 million euros) promised to the winner, approximately double what the winner of a Grand Slam tournament can hope for.
We understand better the interest in the “sacrifice”, knowing that each participant is guaranteed to collect 1.5 million euros for their sole presence at this exhibition which is already making people cringe, in a country singled out for its poor record. in matters of human rights.
A Nadal-Alcaraz half?
This Wednesday, Carlos Alcaraz will challenge Holger Rune in the quarter-final, to offer himself a possible semi-final against Rafael Nadal, ambassador of the Saudi Tennis Federation. The other quarter-final will pit Jannik Sinner against Daniil Medvedev on the same day, with the winner of this match going to Novak Djokovic. The semi-finals will take place on Thursday October 17, and the final on Saturday October 19.
Andy Murray was annoyed by the promotion of this event on social networks last month. Reacting to a tweet from his compatriot Liam Broady, Andy Murray slammed the event from his X account. “It’s not a film and no one is going to watch it, because it’s an exhibition tennis event whose everyone is screwing.”
Like other countries in the region, Saudi Arabia uses sport and the organization of competitions as a lever of influence and influence. After having taken control of football by investing massively, the kingdom wants to extend its influence and has the ambition to become a place that counts when it comes to tennis. Partner of the ATP, Saudi Arabia notably obtained the relocation of the Masters Next Gen. First organized in Milan, the tournament bringing together the best players under the age of 22 is now held in Jeddah and will return there every year until 2027.
