Six Kings Slam Under Threat After Attacks in Riyadh

The staging of the Six Kings Slam exhibition tennis tournament in Riyadh is in serious doubt following attacks on King Khalid International Airport in the Saudi capital. The event is scheduled to take place between 21 and 24 October, but travel arrangements for the players have become increasingly complicated.

Since 8 October, the Riyadh region has been targeted by a series of drone and missile attacks carried out by Yemen's Houthi movement. As a result, King Khalid International Airport is closed until at least 17 October, while numerous airlines have cancelled flights to Saudi Arabia.

This has raised concerns over whether the tournament's star players will be able to arrive in time.

So far, organisers Riyadh Season and Netflix have not announced the cancellation or postponement of the event.

The tournament is not part of the official ATP calendar, but it attracts some of the biggest names in tennis thanks to its substantial prize money. The total prize pool stands at $13.5 million, shared among just six players. Each participant is expected to receive around $1.5 million, while the champion could earn $6 million.

The security situation has already affected other sporting events in Riyadh. The Asian Champions League match between Al-Nassr and Neftchi Fergana on 12 October was delayed by around an hour because of a missile threat. This has added to concerns about staging a major tennis tournament just days later.

Moving the event to another city or country appears extremely difficult given how little time remains before it is due to begin.