ATP Jannik Sinner Six Kings Slam 2025 Learner Tien

The Six Kings Slam surprises with Sinner's replacement

Andrés Tomás Rico - 6 Oct 2026
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The Six Kings Slam surprises with Sinner's substitute. Photo: Getty Images

The confirmation from Jannik Sinner that he will not play any tournaments for the remainder of 2026 has derailed numerous plans. Despite not playing a match since the Wimbledon final, no one expected this abrupt end to the season. As a result, the Italian will miss the ATP 500 in Vienna, the Masters 1000 in Paris, and the ATP Finals. In addition to the exhibition of the Six Kings Slam, which takes place in three weeks and has had to find a last-minute replacement.

The organization of the tournament in Saudi Arabia has had a difficult time finding a replacement, considering that some players are already registered for ATP tournaments. The rules of the men's circuit are clear: if a player withdraws from an ATP tournament for any reason, they cannot play any other tournament or "special event" (exhibition) during the entire week that the tournament lasts. Doing so incurs financial penalties and the loss of significant amounts from the end-of-season Bonus Pool.

De Miñaur's injury in the Beijing final could prompt another replacement for the Six Kings Slam

In this situation, Sinner's replacement will be Learner Tien. The American player, currently ranked 17th in the ATP rankings, will play for the first time in the Saudi exhibition tournament and will face Alex de Miñaur in the quarter-finals, while he would expect Novak Djokovic in the semi-finals. However, the Australian was injured in the final of the ATP 500 in Beijing against him, so the tournament organization may have to find another participant.

Learner Tien is considered one of the brightest prospects in world tennis. At just 20 years old, he has already won two ATP titles (ATP 250 Metz 2025 and ATP 250 Geneva 2026) and has reached the quarter-finals of a Grand Slam (Australian Open 2026). However, he still does not have the popularity of other players.

This is an automatic translation. You can read the original news, El Six Kings Slam sorprende con el sustituto de Sinner