A Postponement That May Have Changed Everything
When organisers of the Six Kings Slam were forced to push the lucrative Riyadh exhibition back from its original October dates, few expected the delay to have a major knock-on effect for the player roster. But the rescheduled event, now set to run from 27 to 30 December at the ANB Arena in Riyadh, appears to have opened the door for Jannik Sinner to rejoin the field. Updated promotional materials for the tournament reportedly show the Italian five-time Grand Slam champion back in the lineup, with no sign of Learner Tien, who had been named as his replacement after Sinner withdrew due to a knee injury that shut down his season.
The original postponement was triggered by serious security concerns in Riyadh, including an attack on the city's international airport. Organisers cited logistical and safety challenges as their reasoning for the delay.
What a Return Would Mean for Sinner
If Sinner does compete in late December, it would mark his first competitive appearance since he beat Alexander Zverev in the Wimbledon final in July. Following that title, he had been expected to return at the Cincinnati Open in August but pulled out of that event, then the US Open, and later both the China Open and the Shanghai Masters before officially confirming he was done for 2026.
A Six Kings Slam appearance would give his team a valuable opportunity to test his knee ahead of the 2027 Australian Open. He also has added motivation: Sinner won the event in both 2024 and 2025, beating Carlos Alcaraz in each final to collect a combined 12 million dollars in prize money. A third consecutive title would cement his legacy at the exhibition. TennisDraw bracket enthusiasts are already buzzing about whether to slot Sinner back into their December picks.
