Jannik Sinner won the first edition of the 'Six Kings Slam', the controversial exhibition that took place in Saudi Arabia and which gave the winner an unreal prize money of six million. The world number 1 confirmed to be the strongest on indoor hard court, beating Carlos Alcaraz in the final despite the Spanish ace winning the first set at the tiebreak.
ADVERTISEMENT
The Italian champion won his first victory over Carlitos in 2024, even if it is only an exhibition that has no statistical value. The 23-year-old from Sesto Pusteria made a difference thanks to his service, which allowed him to win some games more easily and to be very aggressive with his amazing return.
The Spaniard fell in the decisive moment of the third set, making two double faults in the eighth game and clearing the way for his great opponent. The two young champions had a great time in Saudi Arabia and impressed fans with their speed of action, further testimony to how much such rivalry will be central to mens tennis over the next decade.
A week of rest
The two-time Grand Slam champion will not defend his title won last year in Vienna, but he will rest for the final part of the season. Jannik will return to action in Paris-Bercy in a week, a Masters 1000 where he has not achieved great results until this point in his career. In 2021 and 2022 he was eliminated at his debut, while last year he retired before his round of 16 match against Alex de Minaur.
ADVERTISEMENT
During the press conference after his win in Saudi Arabia, Sinner opened up on his huge rivalry with Alcaraz: "I wake up in the morning trying to figure out how to beat him. This kind of rivalry pushes us to the limit and beyond 100%. The reason we came here was to show everyone what tennis means. Sometimes it can be a long battle like today's, but we give our best. I hope the audience had fun.
Carlos and I understand each other, we travel a lot, and we are good friends. We enjoy sharing the court every time we face off and try to have as much fun as possible. Every match between us is very good. I hope this rivalry lasts as long as possible, but there are many other players who can take over. Let's see what the future holds.
ADVERTISEMENT
The 23-year-old from Sesto Pusteria had a really exceptional year, in which he won seven titles and two Majors. Thanks to his incredible consistency, Jannik has created a very wide gap with all his rivals in the ATP ranking and is already sure to close the season as the world number 1.
The Italian ace is very proud of his rise: "Whatever happens, this season has been incredible, many successes, different moments also off the court that I'm still dealing with. This shows that I can step onto the court and forget about everything else, to play the best tennis I can. It's been a great year and it's not over yet. Soon, one of the most important tournaments for me as an Italian is coming up, playing in Turin at the ATP Finals, and then the Davis Cup with Italy."
The 2024 US Open champion has also had to face a very difficult period due to the doping case that hit him in April this year. Although he was found innocent by ITIA, the case is not yet closed because WADA has appealed the acquittal ruling and opened a new trial. Sinners fate will likely be known in early 2025, with WADA calling for a one to two year disqualification.
ADVERTISEMENT
ITIA's statement
A few days ago, Karen Moorhouse CEO of ITIA released a statement on Sinners doping case: The case management process for anti-doping cases is complex, and we appreciate that it can be confusing to understand the differences in outcome, or perceived inconsistencies in the process.
To be absolutely clear, the process is defined by the World Anti-Doping Code, set out by the World Anti-Doping Agency, and the Tennis Anti-Doping Programme. The way we manage cases does not change, irrespective of the profile of the player involved. The way a case unfolds is determined by its unique circumstances, facts and science.
In the case of Sinner, we understand that the appeals focus is on the independent tribunals interpretation and application of the rules when determining what, if any, level of fault is applicable to the player, rather than the ITIAs investigation into the facts and science. That said, we acknowledge that it is our responsibility to work with members of the tennis family to ensure that there is trust in the process, and we invite conversations with players, their representatives, and the media on this.
