In a high-stakes encounter, Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner are set to face off in the final of the Six Kings Slam. Although it lacks the prestige of a Grand Slam title, the match comes with significant financial implications, offering a $1.5 million appearance fee to each player, along with an additional $4.5 million for the champion. This will be their second consecutive showdown at this event, following Sinner’s victory last year, where he triumphed with a score of 6-7(5), 6-3, 6-3.
The rivalry sees Alcaraz leading their official head-to-head series 10-5, but he has been particularly dominant lately, winning 7 of their last 8 matches. His only defeat came at the Wimbledon final earlier this summer, where Sinner outplayed him. Alcaraz’s most notable victories include a sensational comeback in the Roland Garros final, where he saved three championship points, and a four-set win over Sinner in the U.S. Open final.
Both players have arrived at this final in excellent form during the tournament held in Riyadh. Sinner started strong, decisively defeating Stefanos Tsitsipas with a score of 6-2, 6-3, and then outclassed Novak Djokovic, winning 6-4, 6-2. Meanwhile, Alcaraz received a bye in the opening round and later overcame Taylor Fritz in the semifinals, winning comfortably 6-4, 6-2.
Despite the stakes, Alcaraz has publicly stated that he views this event more as an exhibition, which might give Sinner a psychological advantage heading into the match. Predictably, this ongoing rivalry continues to evolve, but many are leaning towards Sinner for what promises to be a thrilling contest.
Prediction: Sinner in 3 sets.
