Rafael Nadal is set to bid an emotional farewell to tennis at the Davis Cup finals next month but before that, he will take on the biggest stars for the one last time at 6 Kings Slam. The 22-time Grand Slam winner will join his rival Novak Djokovic in the brand-new exhibition tennis tournament in Riyadh starting on October 16.
The six current biggest stars in the men's singles will feature in the non-ATP tournament. Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic will take on the top-ranked Jannik Sinner, Carlos Alcaraz, Daniil Medvedev and Holger Rune and will eye a record-breaking prize money of USD 6 million, twice of any Grand Slam prize.
The tournament holds no official status and the player will not earn any ATP ratings but the prize money and the player roster make it the most exciting event in tennis history.
The focus will be on the 38-year-old Nadal who announced his decision to retire from professional tennis last week. Nadal and Djokovic have been given a direct entry into the semi-finals where they wait on their opponents and might clash against each other in the mega contest on October 19.
Nadal faced the 24-time Grand Slam winner in his last men's singles game at the Paris Olympics 2024 where he suffered a heartbreaking defeat. Djokovic went on to clinch a gold and completed his Career Golden Slam to enter immortality.
However, the Serbian missed out on all four Grand Slam titles in 2024 and most recently was denied his 100th ATP title by the current world no.1 Jannik Sinner in the Shanghai Masters final. He will be eager to finish the 2024 season with some silverware and give his fans something to cheer for in Riyadh.
6 Kings Slam 2024 Schedule
- Jannik Sinner vs Daniil Medvedev, October 16
- Carlos Alcaraz vs Holger Rune, October 16
- 1st Semi-final - Novak Djokovic vs Sinner/Medvedev, October 17
- 2nd Semi-final - Rafael Nadal vs Alcaraz/Rune, October 17
- Third-place match, October 19
- Final, October 19
