Jannik Sinner put in a flawless performance to beat rival Carlos Alcaraz to claim his second straight title at the Six Kings Slam in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. It took Sinner just 73 minutes to defeat Alcaraz 6-2, 6-4 in straight sets to take home a record $6 million, the biggest prize money of the tennis season.
While the Six Kings Slam is an exhibition event and does not count towards the ATP rankings or head-to-head records, Sinner entered the match with a point to prove after suffering a heavy loss to Alcaraz in the US Open final last month.
The Italian had previously beaten the world number one in just one of their last eight official meetings, in this summer’s Wimbledon final. But in Riyadh, a much improved submission helped Sinner take control from the start as he raced to a dominant victory and sent a clear message to his biggest rival.
Alcaraz admitted afterward that he felt “under pressure” throughout the match as Sinner’s submission repeatedly knocked him back. The world number two won 80 per cent of his service points and did not face a single break point, showcasing the work he has put into his service design since their meeting in New York.
Sinner, 24, said after the US Open final that he needed to make “changes” to his game, and those adjustments paid off in Riyadh. The city’s high altitude added extra pop to his serve, something Alcaraz said he could “feel” compared to their previous clash.
After his victory, Sinner remembered two Grand Slam final losses against Alcaraz at the French Open and the US Open. He also spoke about the good friendship the pair share off the court.
“Especially this season we’ve played many times, I’ve lost many times against Carlos, it’s a great pleasure and an honor to share the court with him, but at the same time you want to improve as a tennis player. It’s nice to have a great rivalry and also, more importantly, a great friendship off the court, and we have a very, very special, special friendship, and it’s very nice after the match,” Sinner said.
The Six Kings Slam featured the top six players over three days, and each participant earned $1.5 million for participating, with an additional $4.5 million awarded to the champion.
Sinner’s $6 million payout also surpassed the record purse Alcaraz collected by winning the US Open, making the Saudi exhibition the most lucrative event of the season.
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Issued by:
Rishabh Beniwal
Published on:
October 19, 2025
