The draw for the 2025 Six Kings Slam has sparked debate as Carlos Alcaraz and Novak Djokovic were awarded the top two seeds and direct entry into the semifinals (that’s because they are the players who have won most majors) . Despite being the defending champion, Jannik Sinner was not seeded and will begin his campaign in the quarterfinals against Stefanos Tsitsipas. In the other quarterfinal, Alexander Zverev will face Taylor Fritz.
The tournament, held at Riyadh’s ANB Arena from October 15 to 18, features six of the world’s top players and offers a total prize pool of $13.5 million. Each participant receives a $1.5 million appearance fee, while the winner will earn an additional $4.5 million, bringing the champion’s total earnings to $6 million.
Sinner’s path to the title gets tougher
Jannik Sinner, currently ranked No. 2 in the world, will need to overcome Tsitsipas in the quarterfinals to earn a shot at Djokovic in the semis. The Italian enters the event after recovering from cramps that forced him to retire in Shanghai, and his placement in the draw has raised eyebrows among fans and analysts.
“This is crazy; how does Carlos have a bye, and Jannik doesn’t?” wrote one fan on social media, reflecting widespread confusion over the seeding criteria.
Zverev and Fritz battle for a semifinal spot
In the top half of the draw, Zverev and Fritz will compete for the chance to face Alcaraz. Both players have had strong seasons, and their matchup promises to be one of the most competitive of the opening round. Alcaraz, who skipped the Shanghai Masters to rest, enters the tournament fresh and favored to reach the final.
Recap of last year’s final
Jannik Sinner won the inaugural Six Kings Slam in 2024, defeating Carlos Alcaraz in a thrilling final 6-7, 6-3, 6-3. The match lasted two hours and twenty minutes and featured four breaks from Sinner across the final two sets. His victory earned him the largest prize money in tennis history at the time.
A Netflix-powered spectacle
The Six Kings Slam will be streamed live and exclusively on Netflix, marking the platform’s first-ever live tennis broadcast. With cinematic production and immersive visuals, the event blends elite competition with entertainment, positioning itself as one of the most glamorous exhibitions in the sport.
Carlos Alcaraz in 2025
Now ranked no.1, Carlos played his last match on the 30th of September when he defeated world no.4 Taylor Fritz 6-4 6-4 in the final in Tokyo to win his 25th career title.
Currently, during this season Carlos achieved a composed 67-7 record. Carlos has won 8 titles in 2025 in Rotterdam, Monte-Carlo, Rome, French Open, London, Cincinnati, U.S. Open and Tokyo. The Spaniard was the runner-up in Barcelona and Wimbledon.
He is also scheduled to play in Paris (Rolex Paris Masters). The main draw will start on the 27th of October.
Novak Djokovic in 2025
At the moment ranked no.5, Djokovic played his last match on the 11th of October when he lost to world no.40 Valentin Vacherot 6-3 6-4 in the semifinal in Shanghai (draw).
Currently, during this season the Serbian has managed to achieve a compiled 35-11 record. Djokovic clinched 1 title in Geneva. Novak was the runner-up in Miami.
Carlos Alcaraz and Novak Djokovic faced off 9 times. Their head to head is 5-4 for Djokovic.