Adnkronos (Adnkronos) –
Learner Tien will likely have to sit out the Six Kings Slam. The American tennis player, awaiting official announcements from the highly-paid Saudi exhibition tournament, had replaced Jannik Sinner after the knee injury that sidelined him for the rest of the season. However, the tournament was postponed until the end of December due to tensions in the Middle East, and so the Italian will be able to participate, replacing Tien.
“When I heard the news that Sinner would be participating, it wasn’t a bolt from the blue,” Tien said after his winning debut against Vallejo at the Paris Masters 1000. “With the event postponed for more than two months, it was clear that he would have the time he needed to recover.
I'm happy for him and I can't wait for him to get back to competing."
Sinner had reposted a post in a story published on his official Instagram profile announcing his participation in the tournament scheduled for Riyadh: “Tennis star Jannik Sinner returns to the court to participate in the Six Kings Slam tournament,” the post shared on Instagram read.
An announcement that sparked joy among the Azzurri fans, who flooded X with messages celebrating Sinner's return to the field.
The tournament, initially scheduled for October 21-24, will now be held from December 27-30, with the postponement due to security concerns and organizational difficulties that have emerged in the Middle East region.
Sinner will arrive at the tournament as the reigning two-time champion, having won the previous two editions, and will try to defend his title.
At the moment, however, the announced draw does not include the Italian, so it is still to be clarified who will replace Sinner, who after his previous withdrawal was replaced, as mentioned, by Learner Tien.
If he replaces the American, he would face Alex De Minaur in the quarterfinals, then face Novak Djokovic in the semifinals. In the other leg of the draw, Alexander Zverev, destined to overtake Sinner at the top of the ATP rankings, will face Taylor Fritz, and the winner will face Carlos Alcaraz.
The Six Kings Slam is by far the richest tournament ever. Each participant receives $1,5 million in cash just for showing up in Riyadh, while the winner takes home an additional $4,5 million. This adds up to a potential prize pool of €6 million.
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