The Six Kings Slam exhibition tournament has been rescheduled from October to December by Saudi organizers. The tournament, featuring top men's tennis players, has been postponed for two months due to "organizational and logistical challenges," according to Turki al-Sheikh, chairman of Saudi Arabia’s General Entertainment Authority (GEA). This announcement follows the postponement of three fixtures in the Saudi Pro League, including one involving Cristiano Ronaldo’s Al-Nassr, due to logistical considerations.
The Six Kings Slam was originally set to take place from October 21-24, with players including Carlos Alcaraz, Novak Djokovic, and Alexander Zverev, and will now occur from December 27-30. Al-Sheikh stated on X that the tournament has been postponed due to logistical reasons and will now take place on December 27.
Earlier on the same day, three matches in the Saudi Pro League involving teams from Riyadh were postponed. The match between league leaders Al Hilal and Al Riyadh, as well as the game between Al Ittihad and Al Shabab, have been rescheduled to December 19, while the match between Al Ahli and Al-Nassr has been moved to March 6, 2027. However, other fixtures for matchweek nine will proceed as scheduled.
This decision comes two days after al-Sheikh confirmed that a boxing match featuring Saul “Canelo” Alvarez and Christian M’billi will still take place in Riyadh on October 31. Al-Sheikh reassured that Alvarez intends to fight in Riyadh regardless of the situation. On Monday, an AFC Champions League match involving Al-Nassr was delayed after a missile fired by the Houthis was intercepted near Riyadh.
Saudi-backed Yemeni government forces have recently launched a counteroffensive against the Houthis, resulting in missile strikes on various locations across Saudi Arabia. The country's sporting events have faced significant disruptions since the escalation of conflict in the region, including the cancellation of the Formula One Saudi Arabian Grand Prix and the relocation of the WTA Finals from Riyadh to Indian Wells in the United States.