When he lost to his rival, Carlos Alcaraz, in the US Open, Jannik Sinner knew the writing on the wall– become unpredictable. Taking the world No. 1 on the indoor hard courts of Riyadh’s ANB Arena, the Italian proved that while he was still the king of the surface, he can also dominate his adversary, who has led their ATP head-to-heads 4-1 this season. But that’s not all he will go with.

In a final that lived up to its blockbuster billing, Sinner managed to defend his title and overcome Alcaraz 6-2, 6-4. Interestingly, unlike last time’s rather plain trophy, this year’s final showcase piece is quite unique. As reported by The Tennis Letter on X, “Jannik Sinner is given a golden racquet for winning the Six Kings Slam. King in Riyadh for the 2nd time. That’s quite a trophy. 🦊👑

Of course, the Saudis like to do things in a big way.

Along with the title and boasting rights, Sinner also claimed the staggering $4.5 million winner’s prize. In total, he would leave Riyadh $6 million richer, having already received a $1.5 million check for appearing in the tournament.

Although neither the gold-plated racket nor the win would mean much since this exhibition tournament is not counted against their ATP points, it would certainly give some personal satisfaction to Sinner. Previously, the Italian lost his world No. 1 rank to Alcaraz in Flushing Meadows, New York.

But improving his serve from the last time the two matched up, Sinner seized the initiative early and never relinquished it, going unbroken and rarely looking under pressure in Riyadh’s quick conditions. The Italian’s precise groundstrokes, intelligent shot selection, and calm temperament under pressure left Alcaraz searching for answers throughout the match, just like it had the last time the two met in this exhibition event.

“I wish I could play like this everywhere,” Sinner said in his on-court interview. “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.”

His Spanish opponent, too, was not leaving Saudi Arabia without showing some respect to his friend and competitor. “When Jannik is playing at this level, it is always difficult. Today he was just too good,” Alcaraz said. “I always say when he plays such great tennis, it gives me motivation to go to the practice court, give 100% and try to be better. Sometimes he is annoying, but he gives me extra motivation.”

Alcaraz will leave Riyadh with his appearance fee and a silver plate for his runner-up efforts. But this extravagant prize adds to a growing tradition of Sinner and memorable racket presentations.

Earlier in the 2025 season, the Italian star had a widely publicized audience at the Vatican, where he gifted a tennis racket to the newly elected Pope Leo XIV. The image of Sinner offering a racket to the Pontiff and now receiving a golden one of his own in the Saudi Arabian desert creates a compelling narrative, closing in a remarkable year for the athlete both on and off the court.

The golden racket serves as a perfect metaphor for Sinner’s current golden era in tennis. His victory at the Six Kings Slam, streamed live globally on Netflix, was a testament to his sustained excellence and passion for the sport.

In addition to the anticipated final on Saturday, Novak Djokovic and Taylor Fritz also played for third place in Riyadh. However, with the 24-time Slam champ already injury-ridden from the season’s Asian swing, Djokovic retired with an injury after the first set tiebreak. Fritz won 7-6.

Next, Sinner will play in Vienna ATP 500 before the season-ending ATP Finals. It will be interesting to see how Saudi Arabia adds another twist to their marquee event next time.