The world No. 1 has not played since winning Wimbledon in July, and three weeks ago he announced his season was over. However, the Six Kings Slam’s postponement has given him another chance to return before the year ends, and the Italian plans to take it.

Knee Injury and Months Away

Sinner has been out with a right knee injury since his Wimbledon title run in July, which marked his fifth major title. He missed the Canadian Open, Cincinnati Open, US Open, China Open, and the Shanghai Masters while dealing with the problem. While it was initially speculated that the Italian would return for the Asian swing, he announced on October 6th that he and his doctors had decided on “a course of treatment for my knee,” which meant his 2026 season was over. His team described it as treatment for knee inflammation.

As a result of the announcement, he was ruled out of Vienna, the Paris Masters, and the ATP Finals, where he’s a two-time defending champion. It also took him out of the Six Kings Slam, which was originally scheduled for October, and Learner Tien was named as his replacement. Before the injury, Sinner had one of the best seasons of his career, with a 44-3 record, six titles, and a 94% winning percentage.

Sinner Confirms His Return in Riyadh

On Monday, Sinner shared a graphic for the rescheduled event on his Instagram story that included his image and the dates, though interestingly with no further comment on his return. Fans are still awaiting official comments from Sinner, but event organizers have also confirmed that he will play in December’s rescheduled event.

The six-player field now consists of Sinner, Carlos Alcaraz, Novak Djokovic, Alexander Zverev, Taylor Fritz, and Alex de Minaur. Matches will be played on December 27th through 30th at The Venue (ANB Arena) in Riyadh, which means Sinner takes back the spot given to Tien. His return at the event isn’t all that surprising given the new dates, especially when you consider the $1.5 million guaranteed appearance fee and potential $6 million up for grabs for the tournament’s champion.

The Six Kings Slam will give Sinner a chance to tune up before the Australian Open next year, offering an opportunity to compete against top-level competition without sacrificing any points. Sinner is also the defending champion at the event, winning the last two editions after beating Alcaraz in both finals.

Rescheduling the Six Kings Slam

The Six Kings Slam was originally scheduled to start on October 21st, 2026, but organizers announced in early October that it would be postponed. The decision followed an attack on Riyadh’s international airport on October 10th that killed at least 13 people and wounded more than 300. Organizers cited logistical challenges as the reason for the delay and set the new dates for December 27th to 30th.

What It Means for Sinner

Rescheduling until December gives Sinner the extra time he needed to return to the court. He’ll now have a controlled way to test his knee against some of the best players in the sport, less than three weeks before the Australian Open begins. Since the exhibition carries no ranking points, he can use the matches to judge his fitness without risking his ranking.

It’s hard to blame Sinner for taking the opportunity to play in Riyadh, especially with a potential $6 million on the line. He has been ranked world No. 1 since April 13th and has spent 95 weeks at the top. However, Alexander Zverev can pass him as soon as November 2nd by reaching the quarterfinals in Vienna, meaning Sinner is likely to return as the world No. 2.