After weeks of hype surrounding the Six Kings Slam, Jannik Sinner delivered a performance that silenced every doubt. Under the bright lights in Riyadh, the Italian outclassed Carlos Alcaraz with calm precision, securing not just the title but also a hefty $6 million prize money. The victory added yet another shining moment to Sinner’s outstanding 2025 season, where he not only won three titles on the ATP Tour but also secured two Grand Slam triumphs (AO, Wimbledon).

But even after all these successes and his recent triumph at the Six Kings Slam, when the conversation turned toward the race for the World number one spot, Sinner humbly raised his hands—not in celebration, but in restraint. If we take a look at the Live Rankings, Alcaraz currently sits at the top of the table with 11,340 points, while Sinner is in second place with 10,000 points. So, the gap is still quite big! As per ATP’s book, Alcaraz has a 10-5 record against Sinner. This year, the Spaniard has won four matches against him, but the Six Kings Slam triumph marked only the second win for Sinner against Alcaraz in 2025.

Before the start of this match, Jannik Sinner spoke about how he “looks up to” both Carlos Alcaraz and Novak Djokovic, and also stressed the importance of having rivalries and players “better” than him. Throughout the year, these players, especially Alcaraz and Sinner, have been part of several big matches, and even as we wrap up the 2025 season, the story is still the same. Last year, Sinner defeated Alcaraz in three sets in the final of the inaugural Six Kings Slam, but this year the job was done pretty easily (6-2, 6-4). After the match, in an interview with Netflix, Sinner spoke about his upcoming battles and whether he still hopes of chasing down Alcaraz and becoming the world number one. “For me, the end of the year is very important. I’m very lucky because the ATP Finals are in Italy, and this gives me a lot of energy with my home people.” Last year, he defeated Taylor Fritz (6-4, 6-4) to win the ATP Final. Can he repeat it yet again, this time? Time will tell! But when it came to chasing down Alcaraz, he admitted, “This year, it’s going to be impossible.”

Those words carried weight. Despite the glitter of victory and his growing list of achievements, Sinner knows that dethroning Alcaraz atop the rankings is no simple task. The Spaniard’s early dominance this season, coupled with his consistency on all surfaces, has kept him firmly in control of the ATP throne. As things stand, Jannik Sinner will need a lot of factors to go his way if he is to claim the year-end number one ranking for a second year in a row. He needs to win the titles in Vienna, Paris Masters, and the ATP Finals to have a realistic chance of finishing the 2025 season ahead of Carlos Alcaraz. Also, the Spaniard has to lose early in both the Paris Masters and the ATP Finals.

So, equations are pretty tough for Sinner at the moment, and on top of that, he has been handed a tricky draw at the 2025 Vienna Open. Can he overcome these hurdles and bring out yet another title-winning run in this tournament? We’ll see! But for now, let’s take a look at what else Sinner said after his incredible win in the Six Kings Slam final and what the response was from Alcaraz after the defeat.

Jannik Sinner once again highlights the importance of his rivalry with Carlos Alcaraz

Unlike some rivalries defined by animosity or sheer competitiveness, Jannik Sinner‘s respect for Carlos Alcaraz is evident. Their encounters, often filled with explosive rallies and nerve-testing moments, have become a proving ground for resilience, adaptability, and mental fortitude. Even in this match, fans tasted a flare of brilliance from these two, but sadly for them, the match ended a bit early this time. 

While sharing his thoughts after the match, Sinner said, “I wish I could play like this everywhere. This season, we played many, many times, and I also lost many times to Carlos. It is a huge pleasure and honor to share the court with him. At the same time, you want to get better as a player, and you need rivalries in the sport. So it’s nice to have a great rivalry and, more importantly, a great friendship off the court. We have a very special friendship, and it’s very nice.”

Jannik Sinner put on a near-perfect display of tennis to beat arch-rival Carlos Alcaraz and take home the richest prize in the sport’s history. Speaking on the big difference in his approach to the final in Riyadh compared to the one in NY, which he lost by 2-6, 6-3, 1-6, 4-6, he said, “Obviously, it’s not a grand slam final match, but we certainly worked hard to play at this level. Today I played at a very, very high level. I served well in the important points. I returned well. So you know, there are many positive things. It’s all a process, right?” He also spoke about how he sat down with his team after the US Open to figure out what was best to do and where to work.

According to Sinner, the big difference was perhaps a bit in the mentality. He believes he played at a higher level today, and he hopes to continue it forward for the rest of the season. Even tennis legend Tim Henman heaped praise on Sinner’s performance in this match by calling it a “complete performance”. Henman further added, “It was a serving masterclass. The way that he was able to hit the corners with such speed, power, and accuracy gave Alcaraz so little. “

A staggering 60% of Jannik Sinner’s serves were not returned by Carlos Alcaraz. So, definitely, the performance was not up to the standards of the Spaniard. Reacting to this defeat, Alcaraz said, “I tried to compete. The first set was really disappointing for myself, and after the first set, I just told myself, okay, go out there and try to compete. It’s your best strategy. Improve your game. I was making a few mistakes. My shots didn’t hurt him at all.” Although Alcaraz believes that he gradually improved his serve in the match, he still claims it wasn’t enough. Hence, according to him, this match is great feedback for him. Can he bounce back strongly and finish the year on a high note, or are we going to see something extraordinary from Sinner?