Two-time defending champion and world No. 1 Jannik Sinner will return to action at the postponed Six Kings Slam in Saudi Arabia, organisers announced on Monday.
The five-time Grand Slam champion revealed earlier this month that he would end his 2026 season early as he continued to recover from a right knee injury. His decision ruled him out of the European indoor hardcourt swing and the season-ending ATP Finals in Turin, a tournament he has won in each of the past two years.
However, the postponement of the Six Kings Slam has opened the door for an earlier return. The exhibition event was originally scheduled to take place in Riyadh from October 21-24 but was postponed following security concerns after a strike by Yemen’s Iran-aligned Houthis on Riyadh’s international airport killed 13 people. The tournament has now been rescheduled for December 27-30.
World No. 18 Learner Tien had earlier been named as Sinner’s replacement, but the American will now drop out of the field with the Italian’s return. The 25-year-old had been sidelined with a knee injury since winning his second consecutive Wimbledon title in July.
The Six Kings Slam is not an official ATP Tour event, meaning its results will not affect the players' rankings. Alexander Zverev has already secured the year-end world No. 1 ranking and the German can formally claim the top ranking as early as November 2 if he reaches the quarter-finals of the upcoming Vienna Open.
Sinner defeated Carlos Alcaraz in both previous Six Kings Slam finals, earning $6 million on each occasion. Apart from Sinner and Alcaraz, the 2026 tournament will feature Novak Djokovic, Zverev, Taylor Fritz and Alex de Minaur.
Security concerns have also disrupted other sports events in the kingdom. January’s Dakar Rally was relocated away from Saudi Arabia, while golf’s Asian Tour has postponed the Saudi International indefinitely.