Daniil Medvedev has revealed his thoughts on missing out on the Six Kings Slam in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
Carlos Alcaraz leads the top stars at the Six Kings Slam as the World No. 1 looks to win the trophy for the first time.
Jannik Sinner, Taylor Fritz, and Novak Djokovic stand in the Spaniard’s way after the early exits of Alexander Zverev and Stefanos Tsitsipas.
Medvedev played the event in 2024, but his poor run of form ensured he missed out on the event, and the prize money, in 2025.
The Russian has spoken about missing out on the event while he plays an ATP 250 event in Almaty.
Daniil Medvedev is happy to play Almaty instead of the Six Kings Slam
Medvedev’s resurgence has seen him reach the semi-final of the Shanghai Masters and the China Open under new coach Thomas Johansson.
The star is looking to return to the top 10 before the start of the 2026 season and that quest has brought him to the Almaty Open.
Speaking at the Atmaty Open in Kazakhstan, the former World No. 1 said: “It’s actually a bit more complicated. First, as far as I know, it’s not $1.5 million per player — it depends on several factors.”
The star lost to eventual winner Sinner at the inaugural edition of the tournament in 2024, but he is not featured in this year’s competition.
Medvedev is happy to focus his attentions on jumping up the rankings, rather than play the exhibition event.
“Since I’ve dropped in the rankings, I understood that I probably wouldn’t be invited, because they usually take the top six — last year they only made an exception for Rafa [Nadal].
“So I entered the tournament in Kazakhstan, and once I commit to something, I follow through. Maybe there were some discussions elsewhere, but generally, if I’ve agreed to play somewhere, I keep my word.”
“That’s why I’m here, and I don’t regret it. Besides, I need ranking points and real match play, so I’ll try to deliver some good tennis.”
Medvedev plays Adam Walton in the second round of the Almaty Open, with Fábián Marozsán awaiting the winner.
Daniil Medvedev has the right attitude heading into 2026
Medvedev has been humbled by his poor form in 2025, but he’s dealing with the downturn with an incredible attitude.
The star has not played the Almaty Open since 2022, when it took place in Astana and was an ATP 500 event.
Nevertheless, the former World No. 1 has jumped to the tournament in an attempt to climb back up the rankings and he’s showing glimpses of his best following his early exit at the US Open.
Medvedev is the second seed at the tournament, and he has a fantastic opportunity of lifting his first trophy since 2023.
