Is it only the Asian Cup that is causing a stir? Tennis has already postponed its tournament... The Six Kings Slam, featuring 'Djokovic and Al-KARA', pushed to December amid the fallout from attacks on Saudi Arabia

*This content was translated by AI.View Original

The aftermath of the attacks targeting Saudi Arabia is spreading beyond soccer to tennis. While the possibility of postponing the 2027 Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Asian Cup has been raised, the 'Six Kings Slam,' featuring world-renowned tennis stars, has already decided to postpone its schedule.

Reuters reported on the 15th (Korean time), "The Six Kings Slam, originally scheduled for October, has been postponed to December 27 through 30."

This is due to safety concerns following recent attacks in Saudi Arabia.

On the 11th, Riyadh International Airport, the capital of Saudi Arabia, was attacked, killing at least 12 people and injuring more than 300. Yemen's Iran-aligned Houthi rebels claimed responsibility for the attack.

Reuters described the incident as "the deadliest attack in Saudi Arabia in the past decade."

Consequently, disruptions have begun to affect sports schedules.

The Six Kings Slam organizing committee stated in a statement, "This decision is the result of evaluating operational and logistical difficulties related to hosting the tournament and their potential impact on the quality of the spectator experience."

It further explained that it was "a decision reflecting Riyadh Season's commitment to providing top-level sporting events."

The Six Kings Slam was originally scheduled to be held from the 21st to the 24th.

The participating players boast impressive names. Carlos Al-KARA (Spain), Novak Djokovic (Serbia), Alexander Zverev (Germany), and other world-class players were expected to compete. Defending champion Jannik Sinner (Italy) announced his withdrawal due to injury.

The Six Kings Slam is also famous for its massive prize money. Al-KARA earned $1.5 million (approximately 2.1 billion won) in four days at the 2024 tournament. At the time, he acknowledged that the substantial prize money had influenced his decision to participate.

However, safety issues have now become a hindrance.

The situation in the soccer world is also tense. Saudi Arabia will host the Asian Cup for the first time in 2027. The tournament, featuring 24 teams, is planned to open on January 7 next year and be held across eight stadiums in three cities: Riyadh, Jeddah, and Al-Qobar.

However, due to the recent attacks in Saudi Arabia, the AFC has left open the possibility of postponing the tournament by one year to 2028.

AFC President Salman bin Ibrahim Al-Khalifa met with reporters in Zurich, Switzerland, where the FIFA Council is being held, and stated, "There is no need to rush the decision. We can wait until the end of November."

He said, "The situation in this region could improve or deteriorate very quickly. We must watch how things develop," adding, "We will make a decision if necessary. If needed, we may postpone the tournament by one year to 2028."

However, he added, "At present, we are monitoring the situation, and all schedules are proceeding as planned."

The FIFAe World Cup held in Saudi Arabia has also been affected. Ahead of this tournament, scheduled to take place from the 16th to the 25th in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, the Japan Football Association decided not to participate.

The Japan Football Association announced that it made the decision to withdraw after comprehensively reviewing information gathered regarding the current situation and safety and security of the host country.

The Australian Football Association, which has A-match schedules planned in the Middle East in November, is also reportedly closely monitoring local safety conditions.

Reuters reported, "The aftermath of this attack could affect other sports as well," adding, "The Asian Tour in golf also stated that it is closely watching local security conditions ahead of the Saudi International, which will be held in Riyadh next month."

<© STARNEWS. All rights reserved. No reproduction or redistribution allowed.>

*This content was translated by AI.View Original