Injured world No 1 Jannik Sinner has been confirmed to play in the postponed Six Kings Slam despite still being out with a knee problem.
Sinner hasn’t played on the ATP Tour since defending his Wimbledon title in mid-July. At the time, few would have expected that would be his last outing, but that is what has come to pass.
The 25-year-old shut down his 2026 season in early October due to an inflamed knee, but it appears he will play again this year.
The Six Kings Slam was originally scheduled for 21-24 October, but it was pushed back due to unrest in the Middle East, with the exhibition now taking place between 27-30 December.
Any fears about Sinner’s health may have been put to bed on Monday after Saudi Arabian government official Turki Al-Sheikh posted on Instagram that the five-time major winner will participate in the money-spinning event in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
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In response to this, Sinner posted an Instagram story of his Six Kings Slam graphic for the 2026 exhibition on Monday afternoon, seemingly confirming the news. Of course, he could suffer a setback but this appears to be good news for the Wimbledon champion.
The third edition of this exhibition sees players earn £1.2million for competing and an extra £3.5m for the overall winner.
He is scheduled to compete alongside Carlos Alcaraz, Novak Djokovic, Alexander Zverev, Taylor Fritz and Alex De Minaur. Prior to the exhibition’s postponement, Learner Tien was set to replace the injured Sinner.
However, this Sinner development may mean the American is surplus to requirements in Riyadh. The 20-year-old has earned nearly $2.5m (£1.87m) in prize money this year, and if he did take part, that could rise to more than £3m.
Now, though, the left-hander looks set to be the victim of Sinner’s return. The 6ft 3in player has faced Alcaraz in the final of this event for the past two years and has come out on top both times.
When Sinner returns, he will have dropped down to second in the rankings as Zverev has capitalised on his absence by winning the US Open, months after claiming his maiden Grand Slam at the French Open, and usurping him in top spot.
The German clinched the year-end No 1 ranking during the Shanghai Masters as a result of Alcaraz’s early exit.
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