Hey there, fellow tennis enthusiasts It’s your girl Mia Johnson-Carter here, living the dream in Miami. Today, I’m super excited to dive into one of the hottest topics in tennis right now: Jannik Sinner’s record-breaking payday at the Six Kings Slam in Saudi Arabia.
Jannik Sinner, the reigning Australian Open and US Open champion, recently made history by collecting the biggest-ever prize money in tennis history. For just accepting to play at the Saudi Arabian exhibition, he bagged $1.5 million. But that wasn’t all – after winning the inaugural edition of the event, he took home an additional $6 million, bringing his total to a stunning $7.5 million. This is a whopping amount that has left many in the tennis world talking.
The Controversy Surrounding Saudi Arabia’s Involvement in Tennis
While some were busy accusing Saudi Arabia of using tennis for sportswashing purposes, some went at Sinner and other major names, claiming that they put money ahead of everything. When addressing this criticism, Sinner shut it down with a straightforward statement:
“I don’t play for money. It’s very simple. 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. When you come back as a winner, for me, it was more that, okay, I played the matches in the right way and this hopefully can improve me as a player also for the future,” Sinner said in a clip uploaded by Eurosport.
Roger Federer’s Ex-Coach Defends Jannik Sinner
Roger Federer’s former coach, Paul Annacone, chimed in on the controversy. He agreed with Sinner that he didn’t go to Saudi Arabia solely for the money but also suggested that even if that was the case, no one should be criticizing him because “it is a business” and he didn’t do anything illegal.
“Look, it’s a big business. I don’t think he plays solely for money. Obviously, he has got a lot more integrity than that. But just like any other big business, there is a price for players to go to certain places at certain times of the year and sure it was the best players in the world and an opportunity to face them, but it was also an opportunity to make the right business decision for him. There’s nothing wrong with that. I don’t think he needs to defend playing for money or not. The way he said it sounds ironic. This is something we always talk about with the top players. There is a lot of money thrown around…” Annacone said on Tennis Channel.
Carlos Alcaraz Opens Up About His Motivations
Carlos Alcaraz, another participant in the Six Kings Slam, confessed that the money was indeed a big reason why he went to Saudi Arabia. In a candid interview, he admitted:
“Well, I mean, if I say I went there just for fun or to play and forget the money, I’m gonna lie. That’s obviously. I mean, every person works 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 history, so that was a good motivation, at least for me,” Alcaraz admitted.
The Future of Tennis in Saudi Arabia
Despite the controversy surrounding Saudi Arabia’s involvement in tennis, participants spoke very highly of their time in Riyadh. Sinner has already confirmed that he would be ready to return to the event next year. In November, there will be more tennis in Saudi Arabia as the WTA Finals kick off next week while the Next Gen ATP Finals start in mid-November.
Conclusion
As a young tennis player living in Miami, it’s fascinating to see how the game is evolving both on and off the court. The Six Kings Slam has certainly brought attention to Saudi Arabia’s growing interest in tennis, and while there are mixed opinions about this development, one thing is clear: Jannik Sinner’s record-breaking payday is a testament to the high stakes involved in professional tennis today.
If you want, you can check out the news where I found it here.
Yours truly,
Mia
###