By Richard Pagliaro | @Tennis_Now | Monday, October 28, 2024
Photo credit: Lintao Zhang/ Getty

Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz have split the Grand Slam spoils this season.

The rivals shared the court in the recent Six Kings Slam final and delivered disparate views on playing the lucrative exhibition in Saudi Arabia.

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World No. 1 Sinner beat Alcaraz to win the Six Kings Slam and collect a tennis-record payday of more than $6 million for his victory.

The reigning Australian Open and US Open champion said it was competition rather than cash that drew him to Riyadh.

"No, I don't play for money, it's very simple," Sinner told Eurosport. "Of course, it's a nice prize and everything but for me, I went there because there were possibly the six best players in the world, and then you can measure yourself with them. It was also a nice event for me, it was the first time I went to Riyadh and it was nice,"

Roland Garros and Wimbledon winner Alcaraz said money isn't everything, but admitted the massive pay day was a main motivator for his Siz Kings Slam appearance.

“If I say I went there just for fun or to play and forget the money, I'm gonna lie,” Alcaraz told the media at the Rolex Paris Masters. “I mean, every person work for that, as well. You know, that's how life is about. You know, I love playing tennis. You know, most of the time I don't think about the money. I just play for love or for fun.

“But you have to be realistic. You have to think that you want to earn money, you know, and that's it. You know, in Arabia is the most highest prize money ever in the history, so that was a good motivation, at least for me.”