Daniil Medvedev admits he didn't believe that his 2025 results would be good enough for him to be invited to the Six Kings Slam.
Last year, Medvedev was one of the six major names who took part in the inaugural edition of the Six Kings Slam in Riyadh. The Russian didn't make it far, losing to Jannik Sinner in his opening match.
This year, the Six Kings Slam returned for its second edition with the lineup consisting of Sinner, Carlos Alcaraz, Novak Djokovic, Taylor Fritz, Alexander Zverev and Stefanos Tsitsipas.
Meanwhile, Medvedev is competing in Kazakhstan, where he has been through to the semifinal of the ATP 250 tournament in Almaty.
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"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," the world No. 14 said when asked about him being snubbed from the Six Kings Slam.
Medvedev: I signed up for Almaty and kept my word
After not getting an invitation for the star-studded exhibition in Saudi Arabia, Medvedev decided to make his Almaty debut this year. And so far, so good for the former world No. 1, who ousted Adam Walton and Fabian Marozsan to make the semifinal, where his rival will be James Duckworth.
"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," the Russian said.
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If Medvedev wins Almaty, it will be her first title in two and a half years. The 30-year-old's last title came in 2023 May at the Rome Masters.
