By Richard Pagliaro | @Tennis_Now | Thursday, October 17, 2024
Photo: Richard Pelham/Getty
Jannik the Sinner AND Carlos Alcaraz share the spoils of the Grand Slam this season.
Fittingly, the pair could face off this weekend in a final of the lucrative and historic Six Kings Slam exhibition.
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World number 1 sinful did a rare thing in Riyadh today.
Sinner stopped Novak Djokovic 6-2, 6-7(0), 6-4 to reach the inaugural Six Kings Slam final in a victory that came four days after the Italian number one beat the Grand Slam king 7-6(4) , 6-3 in the final of the Rolex Shanghai Masters.
Avoiding fatigue and Djokovic, Sinner kept his composure to extend his winning streak today.
“I think we played a final in Shanghai not too many days ago,” Sinner said. “I think we were both a little tired making some mistakes, but we both tried to hang in there.
“This game can change so quickly. I had some money, but he made some pretty good shots and (I) tried to reset as quickly as possible.”
Sinner, who has already made history by becoming the first Italian to secure the no. 1 in the world at the end of the ATP season, will play for a tennis record $6 million payday on Saturday. That’s nearly $2.5 million more than the $3.6 million champion’s check that Sinner collected winning the US Open Championship last month.
Today’s victory sends Sinner into Saturday’s final against either reigning Roland Garros and Wimbledon winner Alcaraz or 22nd Grand Slam champion Rafael Nadal, who was facing his Olympic doubles partner Alcaraz in the final game tonight.
“Let’s see what’s to come on Saturday, hopefully it will be a great game,” Sinner said. “That’s why we’re all here, so hopefully it’ll be a good one.”
