Alcaraz takes Vienna wildcard after Six Kings Slam is postponed

Carlos Alcaraz has changed his plans for the last week of October. The world No. 3 has accepted a wildcard into the Erste Bank Open in Vienna, the ATP confirmed on Thursday. The decision came shortly after organisers postponed the Six Kings Slam in Riyadh, where Alcaraz had been due to play. Main-draw play at the Wiener Stadthalle runs from 26 October to 1 November.

It will be the Spaniard's first appearance at the indoor ATP 500 event since 2021. On his debut there, at 18, he beat Andy Murray on the way to the semi-finals before losing to the eventual champion, Alexander Zverev.

Riyadh exhibition moved to December

The Six Kings Slam had been scheduled for 21-24 October and will now be held from 27 to 30 December. In their statement, organisers said the decision "reflects Riyadh Season's commitment to delivering sporting events to the highest standards, following an assessment of the organisational and logistical challenges." They did not refer directly to security, but the postponement follows continued unrest in the Middle East and attacks on Riyadh's international airport, according to Sky Sports and The National.

The six-man line-up is unchanged on paper: Alcaraz, Novak Djokovic, Zverev, Taylor Fritz, Alex de Minaur and Learner Tien. According to Sky Sports, each player receives £1.2 million just for taking part, and the champion collects a further £3.5 million. Jannik Sinner won the first two editions, in 2024 and 2025, beating Alcaraz in both finals.

A stacked field in Vienna

Alcaraz joins a Vienna field that was already strong. According to the ATP, it includes fellow top-10 players Zverev, Daniil Medvedev, Flavio Cobolli and De Minaur. Zverev, who won the title in 2021 and has already secured the year-end No. 1 ranking, could now meet Alcaraz at the same venue where they met five years ago.

Moustached Alcaraz cruises past Cerundolo in Shanghai opener

The wildcard gives Alcaraz extra indoor matches after a disappointing stay in Shanghai, where he lost in the third round. He has won three titles in 2026: the Australian Open, Doha and Tokyo. The ATP lists his season record at 33-5. He has already qualified for the ATP Finals in Turin and is third in the Live Race.

The appearance-fee debate returns

The late entry has also revived an old story in Vienna. According to Tennis365, Alcaraz reportedly asked for €750,000 to play the Erste Bank Open in 2023, and tournament director Herwig Straka turned the request down as too expensive. At that point Alcaraz had won two majors. The financial terms of this year's wildcard have not been made public.

The move also matters for the tournament. Several of the stars booked for Riyadh were already entered in Vienna, and now the tournament also has the world No. 1 and No. 3 in the same draw. Alcaraz's last stop before the Paris Masters and Turin will therefore be Austria, not Saudi Arabia, and the draw for Vienna's main event is due before play begins on 26 October.