Jannik Sinner is back! After a heartbreaking withdrawal at the Shanghai Masters, the World No. 2 wasted no time making his presence felt at the Six Kings Slam. His first opponent was Stefanos Tsitsipas, a player who has dominated their head-to-head so far with a 6-3 record. Even though this was an exhibition match, Sinner was clearly eager to even the scores. Sinner wrapped it up with a 6-2, 6-3 win, securing a whopping $1.5 million in his pocket for just this match. But that’s not the most bizarre thing about this tournament…

After the win, Sinner moved on to his customary on-court interview. Questions ranged from a potential showdown with Novak Djokovic to his ongoing rivalry with Carlos Alcaraz. But the real spectacle happened after the interview. As Sinner began packing up his things and headed toward the exit, a fan casually walked onto the court. The Italian looked puzzled as the fan tried to start a conversation.

It quickly became clear that the fan was fixated on Sinner’s Nike jacket. The gestures were frantic and pointed, but the Italian seemed unable to understand what was being communicated. Before the conversation could be clarified, security stepped in. They caught up with the fan and escorted him off the court, leaving everyone, including Jannik Sinner, scratching their heads.

The Italian star has learned to expect the unexpected. Back at the US Open in the Round of 16, after a straight-sets victory over Alexander Bublik, Sinner approached a fan to hand over his towel. It seemed like a typical post-match gesture. But while his back was turned, another fan was caught on camera trying to unzip Sinner’s tennis bag. Thankfully, a nearby security guard stopped the attempt just in time.

Of course, not all of Sinner’s fans are that extreme. Some are downright delightful. Take the “Carrot Boys,” a group of six diehard supporters who dress as carrots at his matches. Yes, you read that right, carrots! The story goes back to Vienna, where a group of Italian fans noticed Sinner eating a carrot. They adopted it as their symbol, and it stuck.

Jannik Sinner will likely appreciate their support even more as he prepares for a high-stakes match in the semifinals against Novak Djokovic at the Six Kings Slam.

Jannik Sinner on facing Novak Djokovic again

That leaves Alcaraz facing Taylor Fritz, while Sinner will face Djokovic in what promises to be a marquee matchup. Sinner is optimistic about the encounter, hoping it will live up to the hype and give fans a thrilling show in Riyadh.

In his on-court interview, Sinner said, “We all hope it’s a good match. This is all we hope for. We know each other very well… we’ve played many, many times. It’s great to share the court again with Novak. Especially here in front of you guys. We’ll just try to play the best possible tennis we can. We’ll just see how it goes. Mostly, we are here to enjoy. To bring tennis here. All we hope is that you guys enjoy. That’s why we’re here.”

Statistically, Sinner comes into the match with confidence. He has won his last six matches against Djokovic, not counting last year’s Six Kings Slam semifinal, which does not count toward official head-to-head records. Overall, Sinner has won seven of his last eight competitive matches with Djokovic since losing to him in the 2023 Wimbledon semifinals. This season alone, Sinner has beaten Djokovic in both the French Open semifinal and the Wimbledon semifinal.

Even though the Six Kings Slam result will not officially affect the head-to-head tally, it promises to be a popcorn-worthy contest! Will you tune in?