Written by Richard Pagliaro | @Itenisi_Manje | Monday, October 28, 2024
Photo credit: Lintao Zhang/ Getty
Jannik Sinner again CaAlcaraz They split the Grand Slam this season.
The rivals shared the court in the recent Six Kings Slam final and offered different views on playing the lucrative show in Saudi Arabia.
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World No. 1 Sinner defeated Alcaraz to win the Six Kings Slam and collect a tennis record payday of over $6 million for his victory.
The reigning Australian Open and US Open champion said competition over cash drew him to Riyadh.
“No, I don’t play for money, it’s very simple,” Sinner told Eurosport. “Yes, it’s a good prize and everything but for me, I went there because there were probably six of the best players in the world, and you can compare yourself with them. It was a good event and for me, it was the first time I went to Riyadh and it was great,”
Roland Garros and Wimbledon winner Alcaraz said money isn’t everything, but admitted the big payday was the biggest motivator for his Siz Kings Slam appearance.
“If I say I went there for fun or to play and forget the money, I will be lying,” Alcaraz told the media at the Rolex Paris Masters. “I mean, everybody works for that, too. You know, that’s life. You know, I love playing tennis. You know, most of the time I don’t think about the money. I play for love or just for fun.
“But you have to face the facts. You have to think you want to earn money, you know, and that’s it. You know, in Arabia it’s the biggest prize money ever, so that was a good motivation, at least for me.”
