An exhibition tennis tournament featuring top players, including Carlos Alcaraz and Novak Djokovic, has been postponed in Saudi Arabia due to ongoing attacks from Yemen’s Houthis. The Six Kings Slam, organized by the General Entertainment Authority (GEA) and originally set for October 21-24, will now take place from December 27-30. Turki al-Sheikh, chairman of the GEA, cited “organisational and logistical challenges” as the reasons for the delay.
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The postponement follows the Saudi Pro League's decision to rearrange three fixtures, including a match involving Cristiano Ronaldo’s Al-Nassr, due to “logistical considerations.” The matches that were postponed include Al Hilal vs. Al Riyadh, Al Ittihad vs. Al Shabab on December 19, and the game between Al Ahli and Al-Nassr set for March 6, 2027. However, other fixtures for week nine of the league will proceed as scheduled.
Al-Sheikh also addressed concerns about an upcoming boxing match featuring Saul “Canelo” Alvarez on October 31 in Riyadh, assuring that the fight would continue as planned. Following the coalition’s interception of a missile fired by the Houthis, there have been heightened tensions in the region. The situation has impacted Saudi Arabia’s sports calendar significantly after the onset of conflict involving Iran.
In addition to the tennis tournament, the Formula One Saudi Arabian Grand Prix scheduled for April and the WTA Finals planned for next month have also been affected, with the latter moving to Indian Wells in the United States.