Categories: Sports

matches, schedule and where to watch

We’ll begin to digest what tennis will mean on November 24, when one of its great architects and defenders bids a final farewell. But emotions cling to the fact that he is still here, and tomorrow he will perform, even at an exhibition wrapped in glitter, fireworks and money. Rafael Nadal He landed in Riyadh to prepare one of his final appearances before his farewell Davis Cup appearance. And the biggest: the Six King Slam tournament, in which the Spaniard and five other stars participate: Novak Djokovic, Jannik Sinner, Carlos Alcaraz, Daniil Medvedev and Holger Runewith a prize of five and a half million euros for the winner and a check for participation reaching almost one and a half million. By comparison, winning all seven matches at the Australian Open is worth almost two million euros; from Roland Garros – almost two and a half million; from Wimbledon – more than three million; and from the US Open – three million six hundred thousand euros.

It is held in Riyadh (Saudi Arabia), another example of this policy of opening up to the world with exorbitant investment in sports, and in a pavilion built especially for the event, The Venue, with a capacity of 8,000 seats. The Six Kings Slam revolved around Nadal – he is the Arab country’s tennis ambassador – in terms of dates as it was scheduled for February but the Spaniard was still expecting an abdominal injury in January so it will be played this week. October is free between the Masters 1000 tournaments in Shanghai and Paris, although these days there are ATP 500 and 250 tournaments. Three days of competition in four days (shows have their own rest rules), which somewhat contradicts the criticism that has long been spreading around the circuit: many mandatory tournaments, longer, fewer free days…

“There is no rest, this is a real physical and mental test. It will be very difficult for players of my age to achieve longevity in the future,” he explained these days. Jack Draper hinting at a unification of the dirt season, grass season, Olympics, US Open, North American Tour and Asia in 2024. Carlos Alcaraz also expressed a similar sentiment during another exhibition, the Laver Cup: “The calendar is very tight and there are a lot of mandatory tournaments – eight Masters 1000, besides Monte Carlo, and four ATP 500, one of them after the US Open – not so for me many days of rest, as I would like. I need to train, I need to travel, there’s jet lag… They’re going to kill us in a certain way. A lot of injuries due to the change of balls, due to the calendar, due to many things. At some point, there will be tennis players who will miss many tournaments because they will have to take care of their bodies and their lives.

Data suggests that it was not played more than ten years ago, although it is impossible to compare the demands of one stage with another, and there are tennis players who relativize this accumulation of matches. “The calendar is quite long, but players can choose what to play and what not to play. Some tournaments are mandatory, but you as a player can choose and participation in the tournament is not mandatory.

True, as Alcaraz himself said, “an exhibition has nothing to do with a circuit match,” although it is still another trip, risk of injury and fewer days of rest; and in this dialogue between complaints about the congestion of matches and the need to promote tennis, the Murcian and the Italian signed up for this exhibition, the opening of which they are today responsible for; Sinner vs Medvedev and Alcaraz vs Rune. The winners will face Djokovic and Nadal tomorrow; in what could be the last duel between the Spaniards before playing on the same side of the goal. On Saturday there will be a match for third and fourth places, as well as the grand final. After this, tennis will continue its course.

Who’s playing in the Six Kings Slam?

Selected for this first tournament of great stars are Novak Djokovic, winner of 24 Grand Slams, Rafael Nadal (22 Grand Slams), Carlos Alcaraz (4), Jannik Sinner (2), Daniil Medvedev (1) and Holger Rune (0) . .

Tournament dates and format

Six players compete in the draw, which is divided into quarter-finals, semi-finals and finals. In the first round, Medvedev plays against Sinner and Alcaraz against Rune; The winner of the first match will meet Djokovic in the semi-finals; and the winner of the second match against Nadal. There will be a match for third and fourth place and, of course, the final.

Wednesday, October 16:

18:30: Daniil Medvedev – Jannik Sinner (1)

After: Carlos Alcaraz – Holger Rune (2)

Thursday, October 17:

18:30: Novak Djokovic – Winner 1

After: Carlos Alcaraz – Winner 2

Sunday, October 19:

17.30: Match for third and fourth place.

After: Final

Awards

For their participation, six tennis players receive a check for almost one and a half million euros. The winner will also receive five and a half million euros.

Since this is an exhibition, ATP points are not distributed at the exhibition.