5 Players Who Could Replace Jack Draper in the Six Kings Slam

Even after the final Major tournament of the year, there are many exciting events in the world of tennis. Last year's inaugural Six Kings Slam exhibition event held in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, was a welcome addition to the fall schedule.
Just last week, Netflix announced the second edition of the Six Kings Slam will stream live and exclusively on Netflix between October 15-18 to over 300 million subscribers across the globe at no additional cost.
The initial field of participants included Jannik Sinner, Carlos Alcaraz, Novak Djokovic, Alexander Zverev, Taylor Fritz, and Jack Draper.
Unfortunately, Draper is out for the season with a left-arm injury. While a replacement has not yet been announced, there are five players who make perfect sense to fill in for Draper.
Alex de Minaur

Alex De Minaur is the highest-ranked player not named Ben Shelton to make our list. Assuming Shelton takes a cautious approach to managing his shoulder injury, that makes De Minaur the next man up to fill in for Draper.
De Minaur is the ATP World No.8 with a singles record of 41-16 with one singles title. With deep roots in Australia and Spain, De Minaur can help bring in a large audience and play at a high level.
Lorenzo Musetti

Lorenzo Musetti is a logical pick to fill in for Draper. He is part of a new, talented generation of Italian tennis players who are overshadowed by their compatriot, Jannik Sinner.
Musetti is World No.9 with a record of 30-13 with zero singles titles. Musetti has not won any tournaments this year, but taking home a big cash prize could help make up for the lack of hardware.
Holger Rune

It is easy to forget that Holger Rune is just 22 years old. The Dane has been on the tour so long that the high expectations have caught up with the promising young player.
Rune is the World No.11 with a singles record of 28-17 and one singles title. Let's not forget that title came with a big win over Carlos Alcaraz in the Barcelona Open back in April.
Andrey Rublev

Andrey Rublev maintains his status as a fan favorite. The fiery player lets his passion burn hot on the court before immediately cooling off and turning on his charm off the court.
Rublev is the World No.14 with a singles record of 32-20 with one singles title. He beat Draper to win the Doha Open back in February, which has to count in his favor for consideration.
Tommy Paul

Tommy Paul is a gamer. Not in the sense of playing video games, but he gets up for big matches. There will not be many stages bigger than the Six Kings Slam for most players this fall, so Paul can show out for the whole world.
Paul is the World No.15 with a singles record of 29-13 and zero titles. Paul is 0-4 in semifinal matches this year, so this could serve as one last chance to make a statement in 2025.
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Update
On September 17, Stefanos Tsitsipas announced that he would participate in the Six Kings Slam. Tsitsipas wrote on social media, "Surprise, surprise! Excited to compete in the Six Kings Slam next month in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia."
Surprise, surprise!
— Stefanos Tsitsipas (@steftsitsipas) September 17, 2025
Excited to compete in the Six Kings Slam next month in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia 🇸🇦 pic.twitter.com/wgVZO97pgW
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Pat Benson covers professional tennis for Serve on Sports Illustrated, reporting on ATP and WTA events worldwide. From Challenger tournaments to Grand Slams, he brings readers in-depth coverage, daily recaps, and exclusive interviews with some of the biggest names in the sport. With a decade of experience in sports journalism, Pat is recognized as a trusted voice in tennis media. You can contact him at 1989patbenson@gmail.com.
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