the millionaire tournament that will serve to see Rafa Nadal for the penultimate time

The end is in sight Nadal. The final one will be in the Davis Cup next November, until then Rafa He has been training in Manacor and since this Tuesday he has been training in Riad. Where her penultimate dance will take place, the first since she announced her retirement. It will be within the framework of <a href="https://www.archysport.com/2024/02/a-new-exhibition-tournament-in-saudi-arabia-with-novak-djokovic-and-rafael-nadal/" title="A new exhibition tournament in Saudi Arabia with Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal”>Six Kings Slama new tournament germinated with Saudi capital as the driving force.

The exhibition shines because of the exclusivity that its poster has. Only six tennis players make it up: Novak Djokovic, Daniil Medvedev, Alcaraz, Holger Rune, Jannik Sinner and the aforementioned Nadal. Rafa and Absentholders of a greater number of titles of the Grand Slamare exempt from the quarterfinals and enter the competition from the semifinals.

The Spaniard awaits the winner of the match between Alcaraz and Rune, while Djokovic will have Sinner or Medvedev as his opponent. The tournament, to attract such a constellation of rackets, offers millionaire prizes as rewards, higher amounts than any other tournament on the circuit. ATP.

Just for participating, each of the tennis players will pocket a bonus of 1.6 million euros. While the champion will earn around 5.5 million euros. The tournament has not announced the amounts of the intermediate rounds, so, at least, 15.5 million euros will be distributed among the big six.

Between the six of them they have 50 titles in what are considered majors and, although the tournament catches them back after the tour of China“I’m excited to get back to the city and compete in front of my Saudi fans,” Djokovic commented. “After other players on the circuit have played there, I really want to make my debut in Riyadh,” Nadal added. Carlos Alcaraz also spoke about his presence at the tournament, stating that he is “happy” to return to the Saudi city to show his “best version.”

Arabia shows muscle

Saudi Arabia is giving clues to what it is capable of achieving through its financial muscle. He Saudi Investment Fund (PIF) already entered tennis last year at the beginning of the year after closing an agreement with the ATP to become the official sponsor of the men’s ranking. It also organized exhibitions last December during the preseason, then took over the Next Gen Finalswill soon host the Women’s Masters and this October the first edition of the ‘Six Kings Grand Slam’ will be held in Riyadh.

Its promoter is Turki Al Sheikknown in Spain for having owned Almería since 2019, is the country’s entertainment minister. He surrendered to the sport of racket after the success of the exhibition matches between Alcaraz and Djokovic and Sabalenka y Our Jabeur. Saudi Arabia has built a stadium exclusively for the tournament called The Venue, whose seats – 8,000 people – were sold out in hours.

Tennis player Carlos Alcaraz arrives in Riyadh in preparation for his matches in… #SixKingsSlam 🔥🎾

Tennis player Carlos Alcaraz has landed in Riyadh, gearing up for an his matches at #SixKingsSlam 🔥🎾 #BigTime#RiyadhSeason pic.twitter.com/vrhHEDOhR5

— TURKI ALALSHIKH (@Turki_alalshikh) October 15, 2024

The track was created in record time by the company Greensetchaired by former tennis player Javier Sánchez Vicario. Three days were enough to shore up the surface of the event whose date depended on Rafa Nadal. Initially, the tournament was going to be held at the beginning of the year, but the muscle injury suffered by the Spaniard kept him from the courts and postponed the event until October.

It is not stipulated that Nadal will play any other match between the million-dollar Saudi exhibition and the Davis Cup, his penultimate and last dance respectively. Although it is not ruled out that he signs up for another tournament to get ready for the doubles, in case the captain of the Spanish team, David Ferrerselects him as Marcel Granollers’ partner. Tennis player who knows Rafa’s game as a couple, both were Davis Junior champions in 2002.

Nadal is a fundamental part of Saudi Arabia’s strategy that convinced him with a million-dollar contract to be the sports ambassador of the country where he will give the penultimate dance, in the Six Kings Cup. The final choreography is saved for the final performance. In Málagawithin the framework of the Davis Cup.