American tennis star Taylor Fritz has addressed the financial reality of the upcoming Six Kings Slam exhibition in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Scheduled for December after being pushed back from October, the tournament features an exclusive lineup of top ATP players.
The Truth Behind the Prize Money
The event offers a guaranteed $1.5 million to participating players, with an additional $4.5 million awarded to the ultimate winner. Addressing the figures in an interview with Bolavip reported by sports.yahoo.com, Fritz explained that participation fees are lower than media reports suggest.
Fritz stated, as quoted by sports.yahoo.com, “It’s not as much money to participate as the news outlets and rumours have reported.” He added, “It’s not that much at all, but it is a lot for winning, there is a lot of prize money just like every other tournament, so it doesn’t really feel like an exhibition, it feels like a real event with a lot of pressure.”
Explaining his decision to compete in the non-ATP event, Fritz noted that it provides a chance to face top competitors in a major setting. He also pointed out that the tournament’s new scheduling makes it an ideal preparation tool for the upcoming year.
Current Season and Stockholm Open Campaign
While several top players prepare for the ATP Finals in Turin, Fritz missed qualification following a loss to Carlos Alcaraz at the Paris Masters, where he held two match points. Jannik Sinner has ended his season due to injury and will not compete in Italy, but other high-profile stars are gathering in Turin.
Rather than ending his year early, Fritz traveled to Sweden to compete in the Stockholm Open. After opening with a 7-5, 6-3 victory over Cam Norrie, he advanced to the quarterfinals of the ATP 250 event to face Holger Rune.
Continuing his schedule allows the American to pursue his second title of 2026 and the 12th of his career while defending his position in the top 10 rankings.
