Sinner Retains Six Kings Slam As Saudi Sees Tennis In A New Light

Jannik Sinner loosens up when he plays Carlos Alcaraz in exhibitions. For the second year in a row, Sinner beat Alcaraz in the final of the Saudi Arabian Six Kings Slam, collecting a cool $6 million in the process. That’s the biggest winner’s check in tennis, $1 million more than the U.S. Open’s payout to the Spaniard in September.

Alcaraz had to field criticism that he is playing in Riyadh at all after being vocal in recent times about the intense schedule of the main tour. The world No. 1 doesn’t want to become a “slave” to the game, which may explain why he views the exhibitions as the perfect devil-may-care format. He was enjoying himself until running into the brick wall that was Sinner.

The Italian treated this latest match-up as strictly business, although all six players taking part received £1.5 million. Sinner disposed of Novak Djokovic in the semifinals, powering 27 winners and losing only eight points on his own serve. He continued in the same vein on Saturday, never facing a break point.

Sinner knew that he needed to change up his game after losing to Alcaraz for the seventh time in eight matches at Flushing Meadows. The 23-year-old world No. 2 was locked in like a heat-seeking missile, determined to serve heavy, hit big and also mix it up to confuse his greatest rival. This was the perfect experimental laboratory to make those amendments. Alcaraz was hardly downcast, but he’s just had a preview of Sinner 2.0.

In the Cincinnati final, Alcaraz was 5-0 up after just over 20 minutes. Here, Sinner was 5-1 up after 19 minutes, crashing through the Spaniard’s artistry with stunning returns and impeccable serves. Sinner served at 80 per cent success and landed blow after blow, killing his opponent softly with changes of pace too in rallies.

The pressure of getting across the line might have been less intense in a glorified exhibition with a massive pot of gold, but the three-day condensed format of the Six Kings experience offers something more theatrical than the bump and grind of a Slam fortnight. It’s short, sharp and interactive, like a slam dunk to the senses.

“For players, it’s intensity and visibility; every match matters, and they’re part of something that feels new rather than an extension of the existing tour,” says Patrick Reid, CEO of Imagination, the global experience design agency. The top four of the men’s game were here to feel a different visual and visceral thrill.

“For brands, it’s the experience economy in action. The Netflix tie-up showed how live sport and content can amplify each other, extending reach and building cultural relevance far beyond the arena “ continued Reid. Netflix also staged its own one-off slam with Alcaraz and Rafa Nadal in Las Vegas last year, training its focus on the wide world of sports to increase a subscription base of over 300 million.

In 1985, John McEnroe beat Jimmy Connors in an exhibition match at the Great Western Forum in Los Angeles in front of just under 10,000 fans. The event was sponsored by Jerry Buss, the former Los Angeles Lakers and Los Angeles Kings owner, offering a bonus prize of $100,000.

Forty years later, the treasure chest is eye-watering, as Saudi Arabia flexes its muscles in the tennis market to open up a whole new level of elite sport. Riyadh is becoming a main hub with a three-year deal to host the WTA finals up to 2026, while Jeddah retains the Next Gen ATP Finals until 2027. Saudi Arabia has established multi-year partnerships with the ATP.

The Six Kings Slam represents new production values, offering a dramatic holographic imagery before matches. The play was ramped up with over 20 cameras, including wirecam and robotic technology, to reflect the advance of Artificial Intelligence in tennis and give the event a more immersive feel.

The tennis season comes to its conclusion in Turin at the ATP Finals next month. The Six Kings Slam doesn’t register on the professional tour, but it has shown that the game can exist outside of the bubble. The Riyadh Season has welcomed it into its cultural bosom as viewing experiences become more like movie trailers. Sinner was the A-lister at the weekend.