"Carlos Alcaraz looks like he's being held hostage" - Fans in disbelief over Spaniard's 'awkward' promotion for Six Kings Slam in Riyadh

World No. 1 Carlos Alcaraz has already touched down in Riyadh for the Six Kings Slam after he skipped the Shanghai Masters following an ankle injury he sustained during the triumphant Japan Open.

On Wednesday, he marked his arrival with a video on Instagram, where he promoted the tournament's official streaming partner, Netflix. The clip was shared on Reddit, eliciting hilarious reactions from fans.

"He looks like he's being held hostage," one fan wrote. "If you watched the Netflix special, they all look like they’re being held hostage. :joy::pinched_fingers: Everyone from the reporters to the MC’s to the players," one fan added. "They all do. The whole event is uncomfortable to watch but I can’t look away," one fan commented. "I'm not saying he's not there willingly, I'm saying the video is awkward," another fan posted. "The dirty wall, shaking filming," another fan said. "The haunted look in his eyes," one fan wrote.

The Six Kings Slam in Riyadh features six top-ranked tennis stars, including Carlos Alcaraz, Jannik Sinner, Novak Djokovic, Alexander Zverev, Stefanos Tsitsipas (who replaced injured Jack Draper) and Taylor Fritz. The quarterfinal round are over with semifinal rounds to be played on October 16.

Carlos Alcaraz expressed enthusiasm returing to Riyadh

Carlos Alcaraz is scheduled to face Taylor Fritz in the Six Kings Slam semifinal on October 16 after the American defeated Germany's Alexander Zverev, 6-3, 6-4. Meanwhile, in the other quarterfinal, defending champion Jannik Sinner defeated Stefanos Tsitsipas to set up a duel with 24-time Grand Slam champion Novak Djokovic.

Ahead of his semifinal clash, the Spaniard shared his feelings upon returning to Riyadh for the Six Kings Slam. He said (via Tennis Temple):

"I think it's great. I'm really happy to be able to play here once again. It's a unique moment for us and a good thing for tennis. I think it has developed very quickly... The future of tennis in Saudi Arabia looks very promising."

Alcaraz will hope to win the second edition of the tournament. If he can do so, he will walk away with $4.5 million prize money on top of an additional $1.5 million participation fees. This should also be a good momentum builder ahead of the ATP Finals in Turin, Italy, where he'll aim to defend the title.

Edited by Krutik Jain