World No.1 Jannik Sinner opens Six Kings Slam in Riyadh with commanding win
As-salamu alaykum - RIYADH: Alhamdulillah, World No.1 Jannik Sinner kicked off his Six Kings Slam title defence in Riyadh with a straight-sets victory over Stefanos Tsitsipas at Kingdom Arena on the opening night.
Sinner looked sharp under the lights, showing the control, aggression and calm that have made him a leading name in the sport. The Italian, who has already beaten Novak Djokovic and Carlos Alcaraz this season, dictated much of the play from the baseline and rarely let Tsitsipas take over.
At the post-match press conference he reflected on what those big wins showed him - that facing different top opponents means you must be at your absolute best to come away with a win. He said he’s happy to be here measuring himself against the best and that, while passion drives him, the prize money is also a clear motivation. He stressed the bigger picture too: coming to events like this helps grow tennis here and worldwide, and it’s important to bring top players to showcase how positive and healthy the sport is, insha'Allah.
Tsitsipas admitted Sinner was a bit sharper at key moments, finding winners when he couldn’t and forcing him to work harder for points. He said he lost some rhythm at times, had trouble with serve management, and sometimes hit the ball too hard when it wasn’t really necessary.
Earlier in the day Taylor Fritz made a statement of his own, beating Alexander Zverev 6-3, 6-4 to set up a semifinal with Alcaraz.
With this win, Sinner now prepares for a big rematch with Djokovic - the pair met in last year’s semifinal, which Sinner edged in three sets before going on to lift the title. Masha'Allah, looking forward to more good tennis in Riyadh.
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