Jannik Sinner produced a masterclass in Riyadh as he swept aside Carlos Alcaraz to claim his second consecutive Six Kings Slam title. The Italian ace took just 73 minutes to dominate his Spanish opponent 6-2, 6-4 and bank a record $6 million – the biggest prize money in tennis this year.
Even though the Six Kings Slam is a show event and has no bearing on ATP standings or official head-to-head records, Sinner went into the match with revenge in his thoughts after losing to Alcaraz in last month’s US Open final. He had been able to notch only a single victory over the world No. 1 in their last eight official meetings that sole victory in the Wimbledon final earlier this year.
Also Read: Novak Djokovic reacts after losing against Jannik Sinner, gives retirement update – ‘I want to…’
In Riyadh, though, Sinner revealed a new game. His service, in specific, was a potent tool — he took 80 percent of his service points and didn’t receive a single break point all match. The 24-year-old’s tailored technique and increased rhythm assisted him in dominating play from the beginning, putting Alcaraz under continuous pressure.
Alcaraz subsequently confessed to not being able to get answers against Sinner’s pace and accuracy, observing the added bounce created by Riyadh’s high altitude. Sinner, who had promised to make some crucial changes following his US Open loss, demonstrated that tweaks have been worth it.
Six Kings Slam, which included six top players over three days, gave each of them a $1.5 million appearance fee, in addition to the champion receiving an extra $4.5 million. Sinner’s $6 million share beats even Alcaraz’s prize money when the Spanish player won the US Open, solidifying the Saudi tournament as the biggest money-generating event on the tennis tour.
