The Six Kings Slam tennis exhibition in Saudi Arabia has been postponed from October to December following recent attacks on the kingdom. 24-time Grand Slam champion Alexander Zverev, seven-time major winner Carlos Alcaraz and Reigning French Open and US Open champion Alexander Zverev were scheduled to compete in Riyadh from October 21 to 24. Australia's Alex de Minaur, along with Americans Taylor Fritz and Learner Tien, were also scheduled to participate.
"The decision reflects Riyadh Season's commitment to delivering sporting events to the highest standards, following an assessment of the organizational and logistical challenges associated with hosting the tournament and their potential impact on the quality of the audience experience," organisers said in a statement.
The tournament had been in serious doubt following a series of attacks, including a missile strike on Riyadh's airport on Saturday that killed 13 people and wounded more than 300. Yemen's Iran-aligned Houthi movement claimed responsibility for the deadliest attack in Saudi Arabia in more than a decade. The ANB Arena, where the Six Kings Slam takes place, is around 31 kilometres from King Khalid International Airport.
The third edition of the lucrative exhibition will now take place from December 27 to 30. Italy's Jannik Sinner, who won the previous two editions, has withdrawn because of an injury. The event attracts some of the world's leading players with its substantial prize money, with the winner set to receive around $6 million.
Saudi Pro League fixtures also postponed
Saudi Arabia's football league has also postponed three fixtures following the attacks, including a match involving Cristiano Ronaldo's Al Nassr. The Matchweek 9 fixtures between league leaders Al Hilal and Al Riyadh, and between Al Ittihad and Al Shabab, have been rescheduled for December 19. Al Ahli's match against Al Nassr has been moved to March 6, 2027.
The Saudi Pro League said the remaining Matchweek 9 fixtures would proceed as scheduled, with no changes. On Monday, Al Nassr's AFC Champions League match against Uzbekistan's Neftchi Fergana in Riyadh was delayed by an hour after the coalition announced it had intercepted a missile fired towards the Saudi capital by the Houthis.
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'No hurry' to make decision on Asian Cup
Saudi Arabia is also scheduled to host the men's Asian Cup for the first time in 2027. The 24-team tournament is due to begin on January 7, with matches scheduled across eight venues in Riyadh, Jeddah and Al Khobar. However, Asian Football Confederation (AFC) president Salman bin Ibrahim Al Khalifa said there was "no hurry to make a decision" on whether the 2027 Asian Cup would be postponed.
"We can wait until the end of November. Things can change very quickly for better or worse in the region and it is a question of seeing what happens," he told reporters in Zurich, where the FIFA Council was meeting. "If we need to make a decision then we will, but we could move back a year to 2028 if we need to. But at the moment we are monitoring the situation and everything is on schedule."
The FIFAe World Cup 2026, an esports tournament series organised by world football's governing body FIFA, scheduled to take place in Jeddah from October 16 to 25 has also been postponed.
Other major sporting events could also be affected by the regional conflict, including Formula One races in Qatar and Abu Dhabi. Earlier in March, Formula One cancelled its races in Bahrain and Saudi Arabia amid regional tensions. The Bahrain Grand Prix was then held in Malaysia on October 4
