Photo by Julian Finney/Getty Images

How the Six Kings Slam 2025 field and seedings were set

Originally posted on HITC | By Jakob Barnes | Last updated Oct 14, 2025 12:19 PM ET

Some of the best players in the world are taking a break from the ATP Tour this week to play in the Six Kings Slam 2025.

The tournament offers some serious money, with $6 million going to the winner. Even those who just take part are guaranteed a payout of $1.5 million.

Jannik Sinner will try to defend his title after winning last year, but Novak Djokovic and Carlos Alcaraz are among those looking to dethrone him.

With only six spots available, there’s naturally been plenty of debate over how players are selected for the event in Riyadh. Here’s a look at how things work.

Six Kings Slam 2025 is an invitational event

The Six Kings Slam this year features Jannik Sinner, Carlos Alcaraz, Novak Djokovic, Taylor Fritz, Alexander Zverev and Stefanos Tsitsipas.

Players are chosen to play in the tournament at the discretion of organisers in Saudi Arabia. However, it’s worth noting that no players have reportedly declined invitations since the event was first held last year.

Photo by Julian Finney/Getty Images

The event has drawn some criticism over how players are selected. Unlike the ATP Finals – which brings together the top eight players based on season performance – this one doesn’t rely on rankings or recent form to fill its spots. That said, most of those taking part do rank among the world’s elite.

This time around, Jack Draper was originally expected to play before being replaced by Tsitsipas following an arm injury. The decision raised questions among fans about why a player ranked as low as number 24 was brought in to fill the spot. Tsitsipas will have a chance to prove himself but faces tough competition against some of the sport’s biggest names.

Last year’s lineup included Sinner, Alcaraz and Djokovic along with Rafael Nadal and Daniil Medvedev. Holger Rune rounded out the field as a major title yet to be won at that point.

How the seeding works for Six Kings Slam

In addition to selecting the players, the organisers also handle the seedings, which play a role in shaping the match schedule.

Despite winning last year’s event, Sinner isn’t seeded this time. Instead, Carlos Alcaraz and Novak Djokovic hold the top two spots, giving them byes into the quarter-finals.

Alcaraz takes the top seed as world number one, while Djokovic is placed second due to his 24 major titles compared to Sinner’s four.

This article first appeared on HITC and was syndicated with permission.

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