Andy Murray has made his views on the Six Kings Slam clear after Rafael Nadal, Novak Djokovic and Carlos Alcaraz promoted the Saudi Arabia event.
Andy Murray has scathed the upcoming Six Kings Slam event in Saudi Arabia, claiming “nobody cares” about the blockbuster tennis showcase. Riyadh is set to host the most lucrative tennis event of the 2024 calendar in October, with an all-star cast ready to descend on the Middle East to compete.
The Six Kings Slam is a new competition that, due to being officially classed as an exhibition, won’t offer ATP ranking points.
However, the jaw-dropping prize money on the table has lured the world’s best tennis stars to get involved from October 16 to October 19.
Andy Murray has been vocal in his criticism of the upcoming Six Kings Slam, an exhibition tennis event set to take place in Saudi Arabia this October. Despite the star-studded lineup that includes Rafael Nadal, Novak Djokovic, and Carlos Alcaraz, Murray dismissed the tournament, stating that it’s merely an exhibition event “nobody cares about.” His comments were a response to the cinematic promotional trailer for the event, which features tennis stars depicted as gladiators, artists, and warriors. Murray sarcastically remarked that while the promo looks like a movie trailer, people won’t watch it because it’s just an exhibition with no ATP ranking points at stake, only significant prize money.
The Six Kings Slam, running from October 16 to 19, will offer one of the highest prize pools in tennis history but has been controversial due to its classification as an exhibition. Murray’s blunt remarks reflect his skepticism about the event’s relevance in the professional tennis calendar, despite the huge financial incentives for participants.
Other players, like Liam Broady, praised the trailer, but Murray’s critique has sparked discussion around the growing influence of non-competitive exhibitions in the sport.
