Saudi Arabia’s clever plan helps Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal bypass ATP disqualification- here’s how

Saudi Arabia are motoring ahead in the tennis world with their exhibition event featuring many top players.

Saudi Arabia’s clever plan helps Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal bypass ATP disqualification- here’s how

6 Kings Slam poster (via Open Source/Reddit)

Saudi Arabia has been having discussions to try and get a tournament in their country for quite some years now. Recently, they have announced an even better event. With high prize money and high stakes, the Gulf nation has planned out a 6-Kings Slam exhibition. 

The event features six top players Novak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal, Holger Rune, Daniil Medvedev, Jannik Sinner, and Carlos Alcaraz. The event is said to commence in October, simultaneously with other ATP events, leaving the players at risk of an ATP disqualification. Recently, the ATP has proposed a rule stipulating that a player is prohibited from participating in any exhibition events for three consecutive days if other ATP events are underway.

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However, the ever-rich country has devised a smart plan, allowing the players to bypass this rule and keep their ATP status. The organizers have decided on a two-day on and a day-off schedule, where the players do not play for three straight days.

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Furthermore, this type of exhibition will go on for nine days, keeping the player’s status intact. Their platinum status allows them to qualify for a year-end bonus, and with this loophole by the Saudis, the players can keep their status intact and play the tournament.

Saudi Arabia offers a huge prize pool for the players, surpassing the Wimbledon prize money

Saudi Arabia, the ever-rich country, has been trying to get a lot of attention towards their country via sports. As sports attract many tourists, the Gulf nations are working towards getting more crowds to their country. 

Rafael Nadal
Rafael Nadal at the extreme left (Via ATP)

In that attempt, they have been making strides in tennis, trying to get a tournament in their country, thus increasing their tourism. While they have already made headlines by welcoming Rafael Nadal as their brand ambassador, now the country has organized their exhibition event, featuring the top tennis players. 

With the right players to increase their viewership, Saudis have used their money to organize an event that offers more prize money than a Grand Slam. As per the telegraph, the winner receives a huge sum of 6 million dollars, and each contender receives about 1.5 million dollars for just participating. This huge amount of prize money surpasses that of Wimbledon and promises 10 days of action. This is a huge step forward for the Gulf nations as they are targeting more from the sporting world.

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