Stefanos Tsitsipas’ participation in the upcoming Six Kings Slam is reportedly “uncertain” after he underwent hernia surgery on Thursday.
The Greek was himself a late replacement after Jack Draper withdrew from injury but now the substitute is also in doubt, with local publication Tennis24 saying he had surgery which could keep him out for up to six weeks.
The Greek website reports that Tsitsipas “underwent lower back surgery to address the problem that had been troubling him recently,” one which “was causing him severe pain and difficulties in matches and training.”
Tsitsipas recently pulled out of the China Open, which made his appearance at the Saudi Arabian exhibition tournament a surprise, although Tennis24 suggests he is not certain to miss it.
The surgery has a recovery time of two to six weeks, with the tournament set to begin on October 15. The report suggested his presence was “uncertain” but “it is not out of the question that the 27-year-old ace will make his comeback at this major event.”
The non-ATP sanctioned event has enticed the world’s best players, all with the promise of a guaranteed $1.5m just for taking part. The winner receives $4.5m, meaning the likes of Carlos Alcaraz or Jannik Sinner could earn a significant prize pot for a relatively small number of matches.
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Last year, Sinner won £4.8 million for playing just three matches as he defeated Alcaraz in the final. Those two, alongside Novak Djokovic, Alexander Zverev and Taylor Fritz, will take part in the 2025 edition set to run from October 15 to 18. Should Tsitsipas be forced to withdraw, it remains to be seen who the tournament organisers plan to replace him with.
Earlier this month, US streaming giant Netflix announced they had acquired the rights to the tournament, offering ‘unparalleled access with over 20 cutting-edge cameras.’
The tournament, though, has been criticised by many voices who point to Saudi Arabia’s human rights record, in particular surrounding gender inequality, while Andy Murray has been one of the few players to have negative comments about it.
Following a trailer that teased last year’s tournament with the players dressed up in costumes, Murray responded to fellow player Liam Broady’s claim that he “would watch this movie. 10/10” by saying: “Except it’s not a movie and you won’t watch it because it’s an exhibition tennis event that nobody cares about.”
Read next: Carlos Alcaraz set to destroy Novak Djokovic record in predicted $300m career prize money total
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