The 2026 edition of the Six Kings Slam in Saudi Arabia faces uncertainty after a deadly attack on Riyadh’s King Khalid International Airport on Saturday. The exhibition tournament, featuring Carlos Alcaraz, Novak Djokovic, and Alexander Zverev, is scheduled for October 21-24 at the anb arena in Riyadh, but the recent violence may lead to its rescheduling or cancellation.
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The attack resulted in the deaths of at least 12 people and left over 300 injured, prompting the diversion of all flights from Riyadh and a temporary halt to airport operations by the Saudi civil aviation authority. The Yemen-based Houthis, who claimed responsibility for the assault, have since warned airlines and passengers against using Saudi Arabian airports, designating them as potential targets.
With the tournament set to commence in just over a week, organizers have not yet made any official statements regarding its status. The event's opening matches will feature reigning French Open and US Open champion Zverev against Taylor Fritz, while Learner Tien will compete against Alex de Minaur. Tien stepped in as a late replacement for world No. 1 Jannik Sinner, who withdrew from the tournament due to a knee injury, ending his 2026 season prematurely.
If the tournament proceeds, it will crown a new champion as Sinner won the previous two editions, earning $12 million in total. Each player receives a guaranteed appearance fee of $1.5 million, with the last player standing set to earn an additional $4.5 million, bringing the total to $6 million.
Alcaraz and Djokovic received byes into the semi-finals, with Alcaraz facing the winner of the Zverev-Fritz match and Djokovic set to meet either Tien or De Minaur. The players are currently competing at the Shanghai Masters and were likely planning to travel directly to Saudi Arabia following the event. Djokovic, who lost in the second round, is expected to return home before heading to the Middle East next week.