Taylor Fritz is standing by his decision to participate in the Six Kings Slam in Riyadh, acknowledging the challenges posed by a packed tour schedule while praising the event as a unique opportunity to face the world’s best players. In an exclusive interview ahead of the exhibition, Fritz opened up about the delicate balance players face between participating in high-profile events and managing their physical well-being.
How Does Taylor Fritz Balance Exhibitions with a Grueling Tour Schedule?
Fritz addressed the critics who question the value of exhibitions such as the Laver Cup or the Six Kings Slam, emphasizing the enjoyment and competitive spirit these events bring. “I think it’s a great event,” he said in an exclusive interview with Tennis365.
“You get tournaments where you have the best players in the world playing against each other. I think the unfortunate side of it is the schedule is already extremely packed, so you have to kind of choose between these things that are very enjoyable to do and how packed the tour already is. That’s the tough part, but when the schedule allows it, it’s great to be at these events.”
EXCLUSIVE – World No 4 Taylor Fritz talks to Tennis365 ahead of the 6 Kings Slam in Saudi Arabia #Fritz #6KingsSlam pic.twitter.com/c3WKcOz74q
— Tennis365 (@tennis365com) October 14, 2025
When asked if he would like more exhibitions or a lighter schedule, Fritz acknowledged the strain the current calendar places on players. “No, no, they’re not,” he said, referring to two-week Masters events.
“I think all of us, you can ask all the top players, we all would like the schedule to be a bit more lax and not filled with exhibitions. I don’t think any of us want that either. Just to have time to live our lives outside of tennis and rest our bodies a little bit, that’s really what we all want.”
The Six Kings Slam is a marquee exhibition taking place from October 15-18 at the ANB Arena in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, as part of the Riyadh Season. The event features six top male players: Novak Djokovic, Carlos Alcaraz, Jannik Sinner, Alexander Zverev, Fritz, and Stefanos Tsitsipas, all competing on indoor hard courts.
Djokovic and Alcaraz are seeded directly into the semifinals, while the other four battle it out in the quarterfinals. Each player is guaranteed $1.5 million, with the winner taking home an additional $4.5 million, making it one of the most lucrative exhibitions in tennis history.
In the quarterfinals, Fritz will face World No. 3 Alexander Zverev on Wednesday, Oct. 15. The winner of this match will face World No. 1 Carlos Alcaraz in the semifinals the next day.
