Jannik Sinner, Carlos Alcaraz in Saudi Arabia ‘6 Kings Slam’ Could Dent Long-Time Roger Federer Sponsor’s Future Tennis Plans

As per the latest reports, Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz will play in the 6 Kings Slam in October 2024. The exhibition tournament will be held in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, during an active month on the ATP calendar that features some major tournaments. The duo may pull out of some of these, causing problems for one of their biggest sponsors, Rolex.

The 6 Kings Slam is Saudi Arabia’s latest involvement in men’s tennis. Alongside Sinner and Alcaraz, Novak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal, Daniil Medvedev, and Holger Rune will also be present in Riyadh. The latter is also a Rolex ambassador. Hence, the Swiss luxury watchmakers risk having three of their biggest athletes absent from important tournaments in October, all of whom are young and capable.

The Shanghai Masters is held in early October, while the Paris Masters is held late in the month. Rolex, who has a rich association with the sport, is the title sponsor for both the marquee men’s tennis ATP events. The ATP Calendar also has two 500 tournaments in October. The two Masters events are the biggest competitions of the month. However, Sinner, Alcaraz, and Rune could skip either, if not both, to honour their commitment to the Saudi Arabian government.

Sponsoring brands rely on players participating and performing well in tournaments for publicity and sales boosts. Rolex soared to great heights during the iconic partnership with Roger Federer. They have curated a star-studded roster to succeed the Swiss star but could be missing the biggest names because of the 6 Kings Slam. Additionally, athletes like Djokovic and Medvedev, who draw big crowds, could also skip the tournaments, leading to decreased fan interest. Rolex, a sponsor or partner in most ATP events, could face further losses.

Increasing Saudi Arabian involvement in tennis has met with negative reception from fans. The financial benefits for the players and the ATP, though, are too great to ignore. However, if long-standing and influential corporate sponsors like Rolex make their issues known, there could be some change or compromise on the cards. The Swiss company will surely not be happy to see their major ambassadors miss premier tournaments only to play exhibition events.

Who will be Rolex’s biggest names if Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner do not play?

If Jannik Sinner, Carlos Alcaraz, and Holger Rune opt to not play much in October 2024 because of the 6 Kings Slam, Rolex will have to look to their other ambassadors to find success. The luxury watchmakers have a long list of tennis players in their portfolio.

After these three, Stefanos Tsitsipas is arguably the biggest name sponsored by Rolex on the ATP tour. Associated with Alexander Zverev until recently, they pulled the plug on their contract with him after his domestic abuse allegations surfaced (DW). American sensation Ben Shelton recently joined the Rolex stable. With compatriot Taylor Fritz, Shelton and Tsitsipas will be the three biggest hopes for the company if their other star ambassadors withdraw from any tournaments.

The WTA Calendar also has one WTA 1000 and two WTA 500 tournaments scheduled in October. Saudi Arabia has not yet announced a similar women’s tennis tournament with big names. Rolex ambassador Iga Swiatek will be a heavy favorite for these titles, a relief for the watchmakers. They also sponsor stars like Coco Gauff and Caroline Garcia.

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• 6 Kings Slam 2024
• Carlos Alcaraz
• Jannik Sinner