The Six Kings Slam will return for a third straight year in Saudi Arabia, with the full six-player field now confirmed.

Held in Saudi Arabia since 2024, the exhibition has already produced two titles for Jannik Sinner, who is set to defend his crown this year. He will be joined by Carlos Alcaraz, Novak Djokovic, Taylor Fritz, Alexander Zverev, and Alex de Minaur in the 2026 edition.

The tournament is scheduled for October 21 to 24, placing it in the middle of the ATP Tour’s European indoor swing. The players will compete for a $6 million prize pool over those four days.

The event overlaps with tournaments in Lyon, Almaty, and Brussels, though all three are ATP 250 events and would be unlikely to attract the game’s leading names. Even so, the Six Kings Slam has again assembled a line-up that features several of the sport’s biggest drawcards.

Alcaraz, who has not played since the Barcelona Open in April, has so far confirmed only two events after the US Open, with the Laver Cup also on his schedule. His inclusion in the Saudi event therefore stands out as one of the more notable entries on the autumn calendar.

Alcaraz said: “I’m excited to return to Riyadh for another Six Kings Slam. The atmosphere is always incredible, and it’s a privilege to be part of such a unique event alongside some of the best players in the world.”

Sinner also welcomed his return, saying: “I’m happy to be back in Riyadh to defend my Six Kings Slam title once again. It’s a great event with an amazing atmosphere, and I can’t wait to compete this October.”

Djokovic, who has played every edition so far without reaching the final, added: “Riyadh has always given me a fantastic welcome, and it’s great to be back once again,” said the 24-time Grand Slam champion. “Six Kings Slam has become a special event on the tennis calendar, and I’m looking forward to competing in front of the fans this October.”

Alexandra Eala will not be returning to the doubles court alongside Venus Williams at the Washington Open, after deciding against the partnership shortly before the tournament began.

The pair had already teamed up once this summer, making their doubles debut in Bad Homburg and advancing to the quarter finals of the grass-court event. Their names were again included on the Washington entry list, but Eala was removed and replaced by Diana Shnaider before play started.

Williams addressed the change in her pre-tournament press conference and said the pair had hoped to play together again after their first outing.

“We had a great time playing at Bad Homburg so we were looking forward to playing again.” said Williams. “Didn’t work out this time. Would love for there to be future times. We’ll see what happens.”

Eala later expanded on the decision, making clear that her priority was the singles draw. The 21-year-old said she had great respect for Williams, but felt she could not fully commit to both events so soon after returning.

“I have so much respect for Venus. I am so grateful for every opportunity that I have to be around her, to learn from her, to hit with her,” said the 21-year-old.

“But I do think this is my first week coming back, and I think that Venus is someone who deserves a partner who can give their all physically, emotionally, mentally when they’re on court with her.

“I think right now I think I can only do that for singles. I don’t have the capacity yet to be able to give that in both singles and doubles. I’m really grateful for the opportunity that I had, or have, and hopefully we see more of it in the future.”

Andy Roddick has since weighed in and supported Eala’s call, saying a young player should still be careful with her body and that singles remains the main focus for the summer.

Eala opens her Washington Open campaign against Qinwen Zheng in the first round. The Chinese player, an Olympic Gold Medalist and former Grand Slam finalist, received a wildcard from the tournament.

Jannik Sinner’s choice to skip the Canadian Open has reignited discussion around the tournament calendar, the demands on players and the two-week Masters model.

The move has drawn support from many pundits and former professionals, who have backed Sinner’s call to miss the Montreal event for a second straight year. Fans, by contrast, have been left frustrated, not only because they will not get the chance to watch him compete, but also because he will miss out on a shot at an unusual place in tennis history. The Canadian Open could have been Sinner’s sixth Masters event in succession in 2026, with only three more left to pursue later in the season, but that path is now closed.

As the conversation continues, Rennae Stubbs weighed in on the world No 1’s decision on The Rennae Stubbs Tennis Podcast. The Grand Slam champion said: “I don’t blame Jannik for not playing. It was a bear of a schedule for him, doing what he did.

“He played all those clay court tournaments, lost that really tough match at the French, then goes and wins Wimbledon. He does not play anything prior. Maybe he learnt a lesson about the load of tennis which he did before the French.

“Then people have the audacity to be like he has an opportunity to win all the Masters 1000 this year, why wouldn’t he do it? “Do you think he cares about that? He has so many records now for being the youngest to do this and that. He has just won Wimbledon.

“His only thinking right now is how can I win the US Open, so not playing in Canada clearly opens up the book a little bit for him to get the rest that he needs then do the work load in Cincinnati.”

Sinner also withdrew from the Canadian Open last year, and that absence did not lead to a title on the North American hard-court swing. He later retired in the Cincinnati Open final against Carlos Alcaraz while trailing 5-0 in the opening set because of illness. After that, he reached the US Open final, only to meet the same opponent and the same result at Flushing Meadows. This year, he will hope the decision brings a better return.