Six Kings, One Crown: Jannik Sinner Wins Big in Riyadh
Tennis history was made this past week as the Saudi capital served up one of Riyadh Season’s main events: The Six Kings Slam. From October 15-18, the second edition of the event brought together six top-tier players and mad prizes, with winner Jannik Sinner taking home a cool $6 million (£4.5m/€5.2). With six of the biggest names in men’s tennis dueling it out for bragging rights and serious cash, the drama was high even before the first serve. Here’s look at how it all went down at the ANB Arena as millions around the world streamed the match live on Netflix.
The cast
- Jannik Sinner: Defending Six Kings champ, the Italian was only recently knocked from his world top ranking by…
- Carlos Alcaraz: World No. 1, the Spaniard is facing Sinner in a final for the sixth (!) time
- Novak Djokovic: The GOAT, the Serbian was bruised from a shock defeat at the Shanghai Masters, but still in the mix
- German Alexander Zverev (No. 4), American Taylor Fritz (No. 5), and Greek Stefanos Tsitsipas rounded out the elite cast, after an injury ended British player Jack Draper’s season early
The court
On the court, from first love through breaks to match points, it was all killer, no filler, and the men’s tennis rankings were not a reliable indicator of success! In the quarterfinals, a sharp Taylor Fritz defeated Alexander Zverev 6-3, 6-4 to move on to the semi-finals, while Jannik Sinner quickly took control and beat Stefanos Tsitsipas 6-2, 6-3.
But the semifinals were even more dramatic! Sinner came in hot, and thrashed Novak Djokovic 6-4, 6-2. The match was so fast-paced Djokovic joked he was playing a “runaway train,” and even apologized to fans for the quick match, saying Sinner was, “just too good.” Djokovic went on to play Fritz in the third-place play-off, but the American emerged triumphant, 7-6, from a grueling, 76-minute first, with Djokovic retiring from the tournament.
After Carlos Alcaraz dispatched Fritz 6-4, 6-2, the final turned into a rematch between Sinner and Alcaraz, and honestly, it wasn’t even close. Sinner dominated 6-2, 6-4, defending his title like it was his house. The Italian looked locked-in all week, firing aces and laser-focused groundstrokes that had Alcaraz saying about Sinner afterwards (you guessed it), “today he was just too good.”
And so, the king kept his crown!
The arena
With mega sporting events like these now broadcasting from Saudi Arabia to people around the world, there was no room for compromise, and it showed. Between the scale, production, and top-tier lineup, it was the kind of event that makes even a casual fan stop doomscrolling and take notice. Alongside the big names and breathtaking games, there was big music, big intros, and big visuals, all under the roof of a packed (and big) ANB Arena.
And outside, Riyadh Season was in full swing with everything from gourmet eats and cafes to music, botanical displays, and even Beastland, with more than 40 shops and restaurants, 15 moving games and 12 different entertainment experiences, opened by MrBeast himself. Autumn truly is one the best times to experience Saudi and its capital, with Riyadh Season bringing world-class sports, entertainment, and food to the heart of the city for everyone to enjoy. And the vibe? Take it from Jannik himself: “Personally, I really love the people. They’re very kind, they try to help you in everything, and they treat you very, very well.”
Well, then!
The verdict
The Six Kings Slam delivered and then some. Riyadh went big, Sinner went home with the crown, and the world got one of the best tennis showdowns of the year. And with just weeks until the WTA Finals hit Saudi shores, it’s safe to say tennis will be calling the Kingdom home this autumn!
