A flawless Jannik Sinner defeated his rival Carlos Alcaraz to win the Six Kings Slam exhibition in Saudi Arabia, and take home the overall $6m prize in the biggest single payday of the tennis season.
Although the Six Kings Slam is an exhibition and won’t count towards rankings or head-to-head records, Sinner was out for revenge after his heavy defeat in the US Open final last month.
The Italian’s victory over Alcaraz in the Wimbledon final remains his only win against the Spaniard in their last eight official meetings, but his improved serve sent a serious statement to the World No 1 as he recorded a dominant 6-2 6-4 victory.
Earlier, Novak Djokovic retired from his third-place match against Taylor Fritz after losing a 75-minute first set to the American, with the rest of the 38-year-old’s season now in doubt as a result of his latest physical issue.
Six Kings Slam 2025 - Carlos Alcaraz v Jannik Sinner
- Jannik Sinner defeats Carlos Alcaraz at Six Kings Slam, taking home an overall $6m
- Novak Djokovic retires from third-place match against Taylor Fritz after losing first set
What's next for Carlos Alcaraz?
14:33 , Jamie BraidwoodThe World No 1 is targeting titles at the Paris Masters and ATP Tour Finals, two tournaments he has yet to win.
Alcaraz is looking pretty fresh heading into the final weeks of the season - which hasn’t always been the case.
He always has the year-end ranking pretty much wrapped up. Can he add a ninth, or tenth, title of the season?
Carlos Alcaraz now has 'extra motivation' for rest of the season
12:33 , Jamie Braidwood“When Jannik is playing at this level, it’s always difficult. I think everybody could enjoy his tennis today. It was really high level of tennis,” Alcaraz said.
“Sometimes it seems like he's playing ping pong, so it's not funny, to be honest, being at the other side of the net but I always said that.
“When he plays such great tennis, it gives me motivation just to then go to the practice court, give him 100 per cent, try to be better. Sometimes he's annoying, but at the same time he gives me extra motivations.
Will Jannik Sinner be favourite ahead of ATP Finals?
10:33 , Jamie BraidwoodJannik Sinner had just one win from his previous eight official matches against Carlos Alcaraz but this 6-2 6-4 win is a little reminder that their head-to-head is not as one-sided as it may sometimes appear. He needed this.
And is Sinner now the favourite as we enter the run going into the ATP Finals? The defending ATP Finals champion will be back in front of his home fans in Turin, with similar conditions at altitude than Riyadh.
“This year it’s going to be impossible [to finish No 1], but at the same time for me, especially at the end of the year, it’s very important. I’m very lucky because the [ATP Finals] in Italy, this gives me a lot of energy with my home people. And I love [playing] indoors and I really enjoy these kind of scenarios.”
Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner on their 'special friendship'
08:33 , Jamie BraidwoodAlcaraz said: “We have a special friendship off the court, which is great. Sometimes people think when two tennis players are competing for the great things, are giving their best on the court, they cannot have a great friendship. I think we show it's possible as well.”
Sinner said: “I lost also many times against Carlos, it’s a huge pleasure and an honour to share the court with him, but at the same time, you want to get better as a tennis player. It's nice to have a great rivalry and also, more importantly, a great friendship off the court, and we have a very, very special, special friendship.”
The moment between Sinner and Alcaraz at the net is worth watching. A big hug, an arm around the other. Rivals yes, but plenty of respect too as ever.
JANNIK SINNER DEFEATS CARLOS ALCARAZ IN STRAIGHT SETS #AlcarazSinner pic.twitter.com/sLJAceaoHf
— Netflix (@netflix) October 18, 2025
Jannik Sinner praises Carlos Alcaraz for 'incredible year'
06:33 , Jamie BraidwoodThe victory sets up Jannik Sinner to make a push towards the year-end ATP Finals, where he may also benefit from the altitude and indoor conditions in front of his home fans in Turin.
“It's always nice to share the court with Carlos,” Sinner said. “You’ve done an incredible job throughout the whole season, working very hard, winning incredible titles, title after title. So thanks actually for leaving one also for me at the moment!”
Alcaraz has won eight titles on the ATP Tour this season, to Sinner’s three, and the Italian conceded that it would be “impossible” to catch him in the race for year-end No 1.
Carlos Alcaraz on Jannik Sinner: 'He was playing ping pong'
04:33 , Jamie BraidwoodWhile Sinner’s win over Alcaraz won’t count towards the rankings race or their head-to-head record, the Italian had just one victory over the six-time grand slam champion in his previous eight attempts. This was his second win over Alcaraz in the final of the Six Kings Slam, however, adding to last year’s triumph.
“When Jannik is playing at this level, it’s always difficult. I think everybody could enjoy his tennis today,” Alcaraz said. “It was really high level of tennis. Sometimes it seems like he's playing ping pong. It's not funny, to be honest, being at the other side of the net.
“But I always said that. When he plays such great tennis, it gives me motivation just to then go to the practice court, give him 100 per cent, try to be better. Sometimes he's annoying, but at the same time he gives me extra motivation.”
Carlos Alcaraz impressed by Jannik Sinner's improved serve
02:33 , Jamie Braidwood“He played great today. He didn't let me get a good rhythm,” Alcaraz said after Sinner won over 80 per cent of his service points.
“He was improving a lot, the serve, and I could feel it. No break points today, which for me is something weird. I’m used to at least one break point in the match. But when he's serving really good it's really difficult. I couldn't find a solution today, so I think he deserved it.”
Sinner also won over 80 per cent of his service points in his 6-2 6-4 win over Novak Djokovic in the semi-finals, and said after that match: “We worked a lot in the past month, we're serving hours and hours.”
Six Kings Slam prize money
00:33 , Jamie BraidwoodThe six-player event took place over three days, live on Netflix, with every player earning a $1.5m appearance fee and a massive $4.5m going to the overall winner.
With a total prize of $6m, the Six Kings Slam prize money is $1m more than what Alcaraz won for defeating Sinner in last month’s US Open final, itself the biggest prize fund of the four grand slam events this season.
- Six Kings Slam champion: $6m (£4.5m)
- 2025 US Open champion: $5m (£3.74m)
- 2025 Wimbledon champion: $4m (£3m)
- 2025 French Open champion: $2.9m (£2.17m)
- 2025 Australian Open champion: $2.3m (£1.75m)
Carlos Alcaraz details Jannik Sinner’s key change in Six Kings Slam thrashing: ‘I could feel it’
23:09 , Jamie BraidwoodCarlos Alcaraz said he felt “under pressure” as a result of Jannik Sinner’s improved serve as the Italian responded to his defeat in the US Open final with a 6-2 6-4 destruction of the World No 1 to win the Six Kings Slam exhibition in Saudi Arabia.
After working on his service motion following his defeat to Alcaraz in New York last month, Sinner won 80 per cent of his service points and did not allow his rival a single break point as he cruised to a dominant win in just 73 minutes to win the $6m total prize for a second time.
The 24-year-old Sinner admitted after his US Open final defeat that he had to make “changes” to his game and, while the Riyadh altitude gave Sinner’s serve some extra pop, Alcaraz said he could “feel” how his shot had developed since their last meeting.
Carlos Alcaraz details Jannik Sinner’s key change in Six Kings Slam thrashing
Novak Djokovic explains retirement after picking up injury in ‘brutal’ Six Kings Slam match
22:23 , Jamie BraidwoodNovak Djokovic apologised to the crowd after retiring from his Six Kings Slam third-place match against Taylor Fritz due to an injury.
The 38-year-old lost a physical, 75-minute first set against Fritz and shook hands with the American after he won the tiebreak 7-4.
Djokovic appeared to pull up with a left leg injury during the match and decided he could not continue playing in slow conditions.
Novak Djokovic explains retirement after picking up injury in Six Kings Slam match
'I could feel it': Carlos Alcaraz details improvement in Jannik Sinner
21:50 , Jamie BraidwoodCarlos Alcaraz has explained how he felt under “extra pressure” because of Jannik Sinner’s improved serving in their Six Kings Slam final. Alcaraz did not have a single break point in the match, a feeling he described as “weird”.
“He played great today. He didn't let me get a good rhythm. He was improving a lot the serve, and I could feel it. No break points today, which for me is something weird, that I’m used to at least one break point in the match, but you know, when he's serving really good it's really difficult to play. I couldn't find a solution today, so I think he deserved it.
“It’s just an extra pressure, especially when it’s Jannik Sinner, probably one of the best, if not the best, that we have on tour right now. When he's serving that way, when he is returning that way, it's really difficult to stay calm. You feel the pressure.”
What's next for Jannik Sinner?
21:44 , Jamie BraidwoodJannik Sinner is signed up for the Vienna Open, which gets underway in a couple of days. Will he play in the Paris Masters too, before the ATP Finals - probably his most important remaining tournament as he returns to Italy?
Sinner will also look to lead Italy’s defence of the Davis Cup title, where his country could face Carlos Alcaraz’s Spain in the final after they landed on opposite sides of the draw.
What's next for Carlos Alcaraz?
21:33 , Jamie BraidwoodThe World No 1 is targeting titles at the Paris Masters and ATP Tour Finals, two tournaments he has yet to win.
Alcaraz is looking pretty fresh heading into the final weeks of the season - which hasn’t always been the case.
He always has the year-end ranking pretty much wrapped up. Can he add a ninth, or tenth, title of the season?
Jannik Sinner: 'We have a special friendship'
21:19 , Jamie Braidwood“It’s great to have rivals. We have a great rivalry. But we also have a special friendship.
First of all, it's always nice to share the court with Carlos. You’ve done an incredible job throughout the whole season, working very hard, winning incredible titles, titles after title.
“So thanks actually for leaving one also for me at the moment! But no, we come here because we love to play here, we love the atmosphere. Thanks for coming, for sharing.
“Carlos, because especially this season we played many, many times, I lost also many times against Carlos, it’s a huge pleasure and and and an honour to share the court with him, but at the same time, you want to get better as a tennis player.
“It's nice to have a great rivalry and also, more importantly, a great friendship off the court, and we have a very, very special, special friendship, and it's very nice.”
Carlos Alcaraz: 'Today he was too good'
21:16 , Jamie Braidwood“When Jannik is playing at this level, it’s always difficult. I think everybody could enjoy his tennis today. It was really high level of tennis.
“Sometimes it seems like he's playing ping pong, so it's not funny, to be honest, being at the other side of the net but I always said that.
“When he plays such great tennis, it gives me motivation just to then go to the practice court, give him 100 per cent, try to be better. Sometimes he's annoying, but at the same time he gives me extra motivations.
“We have a special friendship off the court, which is great. Sometimes people think when two tennis players are competing for the great things, are giving their best on the court, they cannot have a great friendship. I think we show it's possible as well.”
Jannik Sinner wins $6m total prize for Six Kings Slam
21:14 , Jamie BraidwoodSinner is presented with the golden racket for the winning the Six Kings Slam.
Oh, and he has just won $6m for his week, more than Alcaraz took home for the US Open.
Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz share embrace at the net
21:11 , Jamie BraidwoodThe moment between Sinner and Alcaraz at the net is worth watching. A big hug, an arm around the other. Rivals yes, but plenty of respect too as ever.
JANNIK SINNER DEFEATS CARLOS ALCARAZ IN STRAIGHT SETS #AlcarazSinner pic.twitter.com/sLJAceaoHf
— Netflix (@netflix) October 18, 2025
Will Jannik Sinner be favourite ahead of ATP Finals?
21:09 , Jamie BraidwoodJannik Sinner had just one win from his previous eight official matches against Carlos Alcaraz but this 6-2 6-4 win is a little reminder that their head-to-head is not as one-sided as it may sometimes appear. He needed this.
And is Sinner now the favourite as we enter the run going into the ATP Finals? The defending ATP Finals champion will be back in front of his home fans in Turin, with similar conditions at altitude than Riyadh.
Jannik Sinner dominates Carlos Alcaraz in 73 minutes
21:05 , Jamie BraidwoodWow. What a serving performance that was from Jannik Sinner. That’s the biggest difference from the US Open final.
He won over 80 per cent of his service points and did not face a single break point. He was brilliant on the returns too, super aggressive, and also looked to mix it up at times.
Sinner and Alcaraz are congratulating each other’s teams - but the Australian Open and Wimbledon champion has shown he’s found another level since New York last month.
GAME, SET AND MATCH! Jannik Sinner 6-2 6-4 Carlos Alcaraz
21:03 , Jamie BraidwoodA flawless Jannik Sinner defeated his rival Carlos Alcaraz to win the Six Kings Slam exhibition in Saudi Arabia, and take home the overall $6m prize in the biggest single payday of the tennis season.
Although the Six Kings Slam is an exhibition and won’t count towards rankings or head-to-head records, Sinner was out for revenge after his heavy defeat in the US Open final last month.
The Italian’s victory over Alcaraz in the Wimbledon final remains his only win against the Spaniard in their last eight official meetings, but his improved serve sent a serious statement to the World No 1 as he recorded a dominant 6-2 6-4 victory.
GAME, SET AND MATCH! Jannik Sinner 6-2 6-4 Carlos Alcaraz
21:02 , Jamie BraidwoodJannik Sinner has done it! A dominant performance to beat Carlos Alcaraz and win the Six Kings Slam for the second time.
Clinical. Emphatic. Revenge. Sinner and Alcaraz laugh at the net and there are some warm words between them - but wow the Italian has sent out a statement here.
Carlos Alcaraz 2-6 4-5 Jannik Sinner*
21:01 , Jamie BraidwoodACE FROM SINNER! He’s one point away. 40-0.
Carlos Alcaraz 2-6 4-5 Jannik Sinner*
21:00 , Jamie BraidwoodSinner forces Alcaraz out wide and comes to the net to swat away the volley. A perfect start for him.
Alcaraz is dropping soooo deep to return serve and hangs up a looping backhand that floats out. 30-0.
Carlos Alcaraz 2-6 4-5 Jannik Sinner*
20:58 , Jamie BraidwoodAlcaraz has escaped from deeper holes than this but the Spaniard takes the first step in holding to love and throwing it back to Sinner. The Italian has not faced a single break point yet, Alcaraz desperately needs to find something else.
*Carlos Alcaraz 2-6 3-5 Jannik Sinner
20:56 , Jamie BraidwoodSinner backs up the break. He starts the game with two more massive serves. Alcaraz eeks out a forehand error. Sinner moves a game away.
BREAK! Carlos Alcaraz 2-6 3-4 Jannik Sinner*
20:52 , Jamie BraidwoodSinner flashes two big return deep to the baseline to force Alcaraz to look at 15-30.
Sinner stays in the point and powers a huge backhand down the line to catch Alcaraz off.
Alcaraz comes into the net but can’t do enough, Sinner makes the pass to bring up 15-40.
Alcaraz goes aggressive to fend off Sinner’s punishing forehand on the first break point. Bold.
SENSATIONAL FROM SINNER! From the backhand return down the line, to the gorgeous pick-up volley at the net, Sinner converts a stunning break of serve to edge ahead.
Advantage to the Italian.
*Carlos Alcaraz 2-6 3-3 Jannik Sinner
20:47 , Jamie BraidwoodAlcaraz goes big on the first return but puts it long. Sinner then jumps into the backhand crosscourt to send Alcaraz spinning out wide.
Sinner misses with the forehand-line and Alcaraz then produces a bomb on the forehand crosscourt, getting himself back to 30-30.
Alcaraz is standing way back on the returns and Sinner blasts through on the forehand. Alcaraz’s hacked return drifts long.
Sinner holds - but that was better from Alcaraz, it felt like Sinner faced some pressure.
Alcaraz holds! Carlos Alcaraz 2-6 3-2 Jannik Sinner*
20:43 , Jamie BraidwoodIncredible again from Sinner. He finds a way to quell the Alcaraz drop shot, responding with unreal accuracy with soft shots to the corners.
But Alcaraz saves a fourth break point with another ace! That’s his third on break point in this game. And finally Alcaraz closes it out! He lands the wide serve and punishes the forehand behind Sinner.
Alcaraz roars. That was a battle and he knows it.
*Carlos Alcaraz 2-6 2-2 Jannik Sinner
20:40 , Jamie BraidwoodWoah that’s good from Sinner. He stretches to return the serve and then reads Alcaraz to reach the backhand, sending it crosscourt for a winner.
Alcaraz fires another ace to save break point and the Spaniard goes bold again to force the forehand miss from Sinner into the net.
Alcaraz makes a double-fault on game point, but Sinner goes long on the forehand. This time it’s Alcaraz who misses a simple one!
Deuce.
*Carlos Alcaraz 2-6 2-2 Jannik Sinner
20:35 , Jamie BraidwoodSinner steals the opening point from Alcaraz as he scrambles to make the backhand lob over Alcaraz.
Sinner then pulls out the backhand down the line winner, catching the edge of the line on the return.
Down 0-30, Alcaraz goes for the drop shot and pulls off a beauty. But Sinner will get two more break points as Alcaraz drags a forehand wide.
15-40. Alcaraz fires a huge ace to save the first. How he needs another.
Sinner looked to be on top, but pushed wide Sinner blasts wide on the forehand!
Deuce.
*Carlos Alcaraz 2-6 2-2 Jannik Sinner
20:31 , Jamie BraidwoodSinner slams the smash over the net after a brilliant rally that stretched the court. It’s fun, but Sinner remains on top. He gets to 40-0 again, slams the first serve out wide, and then puts the forehand into the opposite corner. So good.
Carlos Alcaraz 2-6 2-1 Jannik Sinner*
20:28 , Jamie BraidwoodAlcaraz is growing in confidence after a shaky start but pulls out a lovely drop shot to get Sinner chasing it down. The Italian reaches it but Alcaraz is there to pop the volley into the open court.
*Carlos Alcaraz 2-6 1-1 Jannik Sinner
20:25 , Jamie BraidwoodMasterful redirection from Sinner to punish the forehand behind Alcaraz. The serving clinic from Sinner continues as he thunders another big serve to take the game.
Carlos Alcaraz 2-6 1-0 Jannik Sinner*
20:22 , Jamie BraidwoodA much better opening game from Alcaraz, who is looking to hit back. Sinner made a couple of misses on returns but Alcaraz then steps in to thunder the serve-forehand. Alcaraz then drags Sinner wide and puts the forehand into the open court, inside-in.
FIRST SET! *Carlos Alcaraz 2-6 Jannik Sinner
20:17 , Jamie BraidwoodOn the opening point, Alcaraz misses on the second-serve return - with the Spaniard looking to be as aggressive as possible. Alcaraz misses the second return, too.
Sinner has sent a message to his opponent - and a massive wide serve brings up two set points for the Italian. Alcaraz makes his third return miss of the game and Sinner is halfway there.
A phenomenal first set from Sinner. He is in charge.
Carlos Alcaraz 2-5 Jannik Sinner*
20:13 , Jamie BraidwoodAlcaraz pulls out a drop shot from the Gods to turn a Sinner forehand into a delicate feather touch over the net. It has to be that good.
Sinner then launches a forehand return bomb crosscourt that scorches past Alcaraz. Alcaraz moves into the net and Sinner nets on the return. A hold for Alcaraz.
*Carlos Alcaraz 1-5 Jannik Sinner
20:10 , Jamie BraidwoodSinner is winning many free points behind his serve, which is a big difference from the US Open final where he serve at just over 50 per cent.
Back-to-back first serves get Sinner from 15-15 to 40-15. Then Sinner lands a 216kmph serve down the middle and powers the smash over Alcaraz’s header.
Wow. 1-5 in 19 minutes.
BREAK! Carlos Alcaraz 1-4 Jannik Sinner*
20:05 , Jamie BraidwoodAlcaraz is looking uncomfortable, having to face relentless blows from Sinner. The Spaniard nets on the backhand down the line.
On 15-30, Sinner makes a brilliant scrambling return, to send back the Alcaraz forehand with even more power. It’s a great get, and then Alcaraz misses wide.
Two break points: Alcaraz nets on the backhand! Wow, Alcaraz is being taken apart by Sinner!
*Carlos Alcaraz 1-3 Jannik Sinner
20:03 , Jamie BraidwoodSinner and Alcaraz exchange sliced backhands and then Sinner produces the whipped forehand winner. Alcaraz pushes long on the second-serve return, with Sinner finding a big kick.
And that’s emphatic from Sinner. Big serve, forehand strike out wide. Love-hold.
Carlos Alcaraz 1-2 Jannik Sinner*
19:59 , Jamie BraidwoodWhat a point! Ah this is great stuff from Sinner and Alcaraz already. Sinner reacts to the drop shot, and then out-foxes Alcaraz at the net, flicking the angled pass. Both players flash smiles at each other from across the net.
Sinner unloads on a massive return on 30-15 but then fires wide on the backhand. The Italian is taking an aggressive approach early on, though.
And Alcaraz gets on the board with an accurate wide serve. Sinner fires out on the return.
*Carlos Alcaraz 0-2 Jannik Sinner
19:56 , Jamie BraidwoodSinner faces 0-15 but produces a massive serve out wide, a bomb that Alcaraz can’t react to.
Sinner with another backhand down the line, this time for a winner. Alcaraz though meets fire with fire and ramps it up on his forehand, with Sinner netting on the backhand.
30-30. Alcaraz puts the return out after Sinner finds his spot on the wide serve. 40-30. Sinner fires an ace down the middle.
BREAK! Carlos Alcaraz 0-1 Jannik Sinner*
19:52 , Jamie BraidwoodA quick start from Sinner as he fires two deep returns off the Alcaraz serve and forces back-to-back misses on the forehand.
Sinner then crunches an incredible backhand down the line, pushing Alcaraz into his forehand corner. Alcaraz hits the net on the forehand down the line.
0-40, off the gun. Too good from Alcaraz on the first. Forehand inside-in, winner. Alcaraz double-faults on the second and Sinner makes the perfect start.
*Carlos Alcaraz 0-0 Jannik Sinner
19:49 , Jamie BraidwoodTime to begin. Alcaraz will serve first!
*denotes next server
Carlos Alcaraz v Jannik Sinner
19:44 , Jamie BraidwoodHere we go: after battles in Rome, Roland Garros, Wimbledon and New York, the two best players in the world compete for the Six Kings Slam title and a $6m overall prize.
They’ve won the last eight grand slams between them and any between between Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner will draw a crowd.
A month on from their US Open final, which completed a trilogy of grand slam finals over the summer, Alcaraz and Sinner meet again.
Novak Djokovic explains retirement after picking up injury in Six Kings Slam match
19:37 , Jamie BraidwoodNovak Djokovic apologised to the crowd after retiring from his Six Kings Slam third-place match against Taylor Fritz due to an injury.
The 38-year-old lost a physical, 75-minute first set against Fritz and shook hands with the American after he won the tiebreak 7-5.
Djokovic appeared to pull up with a left leg injury during the match and decided he could not continue playing in slow conditions.
Novak Djokovic explains retirement after picking up injury in Six Kings Slam match
Carlos Alcaraz v Jannik Sinner
19:35 , Jamie BraidwoodAlcaraz won 12 of his 13 drop shots against Taylor Fritz in his semi-final on Thursday, and was electric.
Sinner dropped just eight points on serve against Novak Djokovic, and looked unstoppable.
It could define this Six Kings Slam final, with the conditions of Riyadh and the court offering a different dimension to their latest meeting.
Carlos Alcaraz v Jannik Sinner
19:18 , Jamie BraidwoodThe grand final between Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner will be up next!
Novak Djokovic picks up injury during third-place match
19:17 , Jamie BraidwoodIt looks like Djokovic pulled up with a right-leg injury during the match. He battled through a lot of long games and shook hands with Fritz as soon as he lost the first set, having to win in at least three sets to win the match.
Taylor Fritz records first win over Novak Djokovic
19:12 , Jamie BraidwoodAfter 11 defeats, Taylor Fritz records his first ever win over Novak Djokovic. It’s not the way he wanted to do it, in a first-set retirement, and it won’t count towards the official head-to-head. But that was a proper battle and can offer the American a lot of encouragement.
“That was really physical, you know what happens is you get into those really long games and the balls start to just wear out and get so huge to the point where it's so hard to get a free point on the serve, hit a winner.
“Playing the long points, playing the long games, makes everything just slower, longer. It’s such a tough set and at the end of it, like I said, conditions just got so slow we're just playing. Long rallies, back to back to back, just having to fight for every point, so it's, it's brutal.”
Novak Djokovic explains retirement
19:10 , Jamie Braidwood“Not great, I want to apologise to everybody. Sorry guys. Sorry you couldn’t see the second set. One of the longest sets I’ve played.
“Credit to Taylor. We had some incredible games towards the end of that set, and it's one of the longest sets I've ever played, to be honest.
“It was an amazing visit to Riyadh for me once again. I want to thank everybody for really welcoming me. Hopefully if I keep on going next year, I'll be back if you guys want me here.
“Now it's rest and really addressing some of the issues I have with my body, and then hopefully playing the last couple of tournaments of the season, let's see.”
NOVAK DJOKOVIC RETIRES FROM THE MATCH!
19:09 , Jamie BraidwoodWOW! Djokovic shakes hands with Fritz and the match is over! Djokovic holds his hands up to the crowd! But after a 75-minute first set, he concedes the match!
FIRST SET! Novak Djokovic 6-7 Taylor Fritz
19:08 , Jamie BraidwoodFritz leans into the backhand down the line and pulls out a super winner, bringing up his first set point.
Djokovic catches the line but Fritz replies with a massive forehand, Djokovic goes long!!
Fritz wins the set on the tiebreak!
Tiebreak! Novak Djokovic 6-6 Taylor Fritz
19:07 , Jamie BraidwoodAwesome from Djokovic! He rips the forehand return down the line off the Fritz second-serve to get into the changeover at 3-3.
Fritz wins a scrambling point by covering Djokovic at the net. Djokovic lands a serve out wide that Fritz can’t return.
But that’s super from Fritz! He goes from power and depth to a delicate drop shot - he leads 5-4 with two serves to come, the set in his grasp.
Tiebreak! Novak Djokovic 6-6 Taylor Fritz
19:03 , Jamie BraidwoodFritz scorches back-to-back winners after a misguided drop shot on the opening point. And Fritz then comes up with a stunner, a dipping backhand as Djokovic came into the net. Fritz goes up 3-2 with two serves to come.
Tiebreak! Novak Djokovic 6-6 Taylor Fritz
19:00 , Jamie BraidwoodWe’ve had 14 break points in this set. Nine for Fritz, five for Djokovic.
But all of them have been saved. Fritz serves it out to get to the tiebreak - and he has never won a tiebreak against Djokovic in six attempts.
Djokovic holds! Novak Djokovic 6-5 Taylor Fritz*
18:56 , Jamie Braidwood“Nooo” Fritz howls as the forehand goes out. Djokovic on game point, is not far away from the ace out wide. And finally Fritz puts the defensive shot long after an attack from Djokovic, who raises his arms in celebration!
A 16-minute service hold and Djokovic is attempting to whip the crowd up into a frenzy by directing the noise. Heck of a game.
*Novak Djokovic 5-5 Taylor Fritz
18:54 , Jamie BraidwoodGood grief. Djokovic howls after netting on the forehand down the line, spurning the chance to get the hold. And he takes a long time to serve again.
But he steadies to find an ace out wide. Wow, this game! Fritz brings it again to land blow after blow, finally putting the forehand winner away to leave Djokovic panting.
Djokovic, surely this time, will get the hold - he has Fritz on the run but can’t finish off the point with the smash! A let off for Fritz.
And soon it’s break point again: Djokovic moves in and Fritz finds the forehand winner down the line. But Fritz puts the backhand long...
*Novak Djokovic 5-5 Taylor Fritz
18:49 , Jamie BraidwoodFritz brings up a third break point with another excellent attack but Djokovic is equal to it to save, landing the forehand winner. Both players have brought their best down pressure points.
Again, Djokovic shanks a forehand wide - Djokovic saves with the ace that catches the extreme edge of the line down the middle. Djokovic sets up game point but Fritz lands a couple of big forehand blows to get to deuce.
Djokovic saves another break point with a backhand winner down the line.
*Novak Djokovic 5-5 Taylor Fritz
18:44 , Jamie BraidwoodDjokovic faces a tricky spot at 15-30 but finds a lovely serve and forehand winner combo.
Fritz, though, finds some magic as he gets up to a short ball from Djokovic and pushes the backhand onto the outside edge of the line.
Set point to Fritz, and it was right there for him! In control of the point, Fritz has to find the pass down the line, but nets with Djokovic scrambling to cover crosscourt.
Djokovic makes an error on going for a drop shot - finding the net - but saves his second break point with a wonderful backhand down the line.
Fritz holds! *Novak Djokovic 5-5 Taylor Fritz
18:39 , Jamie BraidwoodFritz has two game points on ad, but can’t take either. Instead, on deuce, Djokovic wins an epic exchange as Fritz goes long. A fourth set point, but Fritz serves an ace, followed by another down the middle!
And at last, Fritz scraps and battles his way through to hold, with a final ace down the middle rescuing the American from a scrappy game. He remains alive at 5-5.
Novak Djokovic 5-4 Taylor Fritz*
18:34 , Jamie BraidwoodAnother double-fault from Fritz brings up break point! The American covers his mouth as he asks himself what is he doing.
Set point to Djokovic. Fritz rolls in a kicker but Djokovic drops off, and puts his forehand into the net! That’s a poor miss on set point.
Djokovic gets another as Fritz nets on the volley - but Fritz saves another set point as he outlasts Djokovic in the forehand exchange crosscourt.
Novak Djokovic 5-4 Taylor Fritz*
18:32 , Jamie BraidwoodFritz double-faults on the opening point then smacks a big serve to get to 15-15.
It’s magic from Djokovic on the next point, reading Fritz’s mind after catching a net-cord, finding the lob.
A chance for Djokovic but he misses on the forehand and then Fritz does well to control the forehand winner.
Djokovic gets to deuce but Fritz catches lines and finishes the point with a forehand winner.
But this is a tough game for Fritz as he throws in another double-fault.
Novak Djokovic 5-4 Taylor Fritz*
18:28 , Jamie BraidwoodDjokovic is asked some more questions and Fritz was locked in the rally on 30-30. There’s more frustration for the American though as he goes long on the forehand. Djokovic lands a big kicker out wide to hold.
*Novak Djokovic 4-4 Taylor Fritz
18:24 , Jamie BraidwoodAfter a long service game from Djokovic, Fritz holds to love with the new balls. He sent a couple of big serves spinning past Djokovic.
Djokovic holds! Novak Djokovic 4-3 Taylor Fritz*
18:21 , Jamie BraidwoodKnock, knock, knock goes Fritz on the door. The American finds some aggressive shots on deuce, but can’t replicate it on break point. Djokovic holds after saving three, the last two coming as Fritz missed on a couple of rally balls. It was solid from Djokovic to close it out. Very reminiscent of the US Open semi-final.
*Novak Djokovic 3-3 Taylor Fritz
18:18 , Jamie BraidwoodA mistake from Djokovic as he lets a Fritz forehand dip inside the baseline, having left it to go long. Fritz steps up and whacks a forehand crosscourt to get to 15-30.
Djokovic finds a first-serve, but he will face a break point as Djokovic nets on the backhand. Fritz has stepped the pressure up in this game.
And Fritz had the chance! It’s a great point, with both players forcing each other wider and wider on the forehand duel. Fritz went for it down the line but goes out!
Deuce.
*Novak Djokovic 3-3 Taylor Fritz
18:13 , Jamie BraidwoodFritz looks to take charge but he makes a mess of the volley as he came into the net. A little chance for Djokovic on 30-30 but he gets his return on the Fritz second-serve all wrong and shouts out in frustration.
This is a bit of a messy game from Fritz though and he pulls wide with the chance to wrap the game up with the winner down the line.
Fritz, though, holds as he sends Djokovic chasing and puts away the overheads.
Novak Djokovic 3-2 Taylor Fritz*
18:09 , Jamie BraidwoodDjokovic sends Fritz chasing around the baseline and thumps the smash.
Fritz hangs his head as he looks to jump on the Djokovic second serve, but nets. That’s what was going wrong in their US Open semi-final.
Djokovic continues to toy with Fritz and pops a little volley over the net with Fritz stranded behind the baseline.
*Novak Djokovic 2-2 Taylor Fritz
18:05 , Jamie BraidwoodDjokovic goes full exhibition mode and pops the ball through his legs mid-point.
There’s a moment of concern for Fritz as he catches his feet on the gripping court falls down awkwardly - but he is all smiles in getting to his feet.
Fritz closes the game out with an ace out wide.
Novak Djokovic 2-1 Taylor Fritz*
18:01 , Jamie BraidwoodFritz plays back-to-back aggressive points to get to 0-30, striking a forehand down the line to open up a chance.
Djokovic rushes the net behind the wide serve as Fritz hits out - then Djokovic finds the serve down the middle.
Another big serve from Djokovic down the middle, followed by a big one out wide. He serves himself out of trouble.
*Novak Djokovic 1-1 Taylor Fritz
17:58 , Jamie BraidwoodFritz recovers from an ugly double-fault on the opening point of the game, finding a massive kick-serve to get to 30-15.
Fritz slams a flat-one down the middle this time and then holds as Djokovic tries to find the backhand down the line, but fires long.
Djokovic is dropping very deep against the Fritz wide serve.
Novak Djokovic 1-0 Taylor Fritz*
17:55 , Jamie BraidwoodFritz’s backhand down the line was on fire in his quarter-final against Zverev and he stoops down to crack a winner past Djokovic.
Djokovic holds with an ace down the middle.
*denotes next server
*Novak Djokovic 0-0 Taylor Fritz
17:53 , Jamie BraidwoodDjokovic will serve first and does so with a big strike down the middle that Fritz cannot return.
*denotes next server
Novak Djokovic v Taylor Fritz
17:48 , Jamie BraidwoodSo here we go. The starter to tonight’s main event between Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner, which will follow this third-place match between Djokovic and Fritz.
Novak Djokovic v Taylor Fritz
17:46 , Jamie BraidwoodThe ABN Arena in Riyadh has not been full throughout the week so far - and there are still plenty of empty seats in the 8,000 arena as Taylor Fritz and then Novak Djokovic walk out onto the court. Djokovic, who is very popular in Riyadh, waves as he emerges to loud cheers.
Novak Djokovic v Taylor Fritz
17:40 , Jamie BraidwoodTaylor Fritz missed a big opportunity to beat Novak Djokovic in the US Open quarter-finals last month, with the top American not converting any of his first 10 break point opportunities when the match was in the balance.
“The fact that I was 0-10, that's putting it nicely,” Fritz saiod. “I had so many more chances that you're not going to see on a stat line, because I had so many… I was in points at Love-30, 15-30, 30-All. I was just converting and playing these points just really poorly.”
Djokovic prevailed against a hostile American crowd - and won’t have to face that in Riyadh. It’s more of a free-hit for Fritz, too.
Novak Djokovic v Taylor Fritz
17:31 , Jamie BraidwoodNovak Djokovic’s social media post directing his fans and supporting towards his match against Taylor Fritz included his head-to-head record against the American.
And it does not look pretty for Fritz, who has lost all 11 matches he has played against the 24-time grand slam champion. The players will be making their way out on the court shortly.
Live on @netflix at 7.30pm ksa. Join us. 👑🎾 #sixkingsslam pic.twitter.com/W7A1y6DUFI
— Novak Djokovic (@DjokerNole) October 18, 2025
Another record broken by Novak Djokovic
17:30 , Jamie BraidwoodNovak Djokovic has today become the third player to qualify for the year-end ATP Finals, joining Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner in Turin.
Djokovic ties Roger Federer’s record with his 18th qualification for the Finals, where he has a record seven ATP Finals titles in his career.
Remarkably, Djokovic has qualified for the Finals by playing just 12 tournament - reaching the semi-finals of all four grand slam tournaments.
Djokovic, however, is yet to decide whether he plays in Turin. He qualified for the Finals last season but opted not to play, citing an unspecified injury.
Six Kings Slam prize money: How much is on the line in biggest payday in tennis?
17:15 , Jamie BraidwoodThe six-player event has taken place over three days, live on Netflix, with every player earning a $1.5m appearance fee and a massive $4.5m going to the overall winner.
With a total prize of $6m, the Six Kings Slam prize money is $1m more than what Alcaraz won for defeating Sinner in last month’s US Open final, itself the biggest prize fund of the four grand slam events this season.
While Alcaraz and Sinner progressed to Saturday’s final, and Novak Djokovic and Taylor Fritz compete in the third-place match, both Stefanos Tsitsipas and Alexander Zverev went home after just one match following their defeats in the quarter-finals.
With his 59-minute defeat to Fritz earning him $1.5m, Zverev received $250,000 in Riyadh than he did for finishing runner-up at the Australian Open in January, and was paid around $25,000 per minute for his one match at the Six Kings Slam.
Before the Six Kings Slam, Alcaraz led the ATP’s money standings in 2025 after winning eight titles from ten finals, including his grand slam victories at the French Open and US Open.
The Spaniard has won just over $16m for the year on tour, while Sinner has won over $12m following his wins at the Australian Open and Wimbledon. Both men are well clear of the third-place Djokovic, who has won just over $5m in prize money in 2025.
When is Alcaraz v Sinner final at Six Kings Slam? Schedule and how to watch
17:00 , Jamie BraidwoodCarlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner will meet again in the final of the Six Kings Slam exhibition in Saudi Arabia. After battles in the finals of Roland Garros, Wimbledon and the US Open this season, the two best players in the world will compete for the $6m overall prize on Saturday.
Sinner defeated Novak Djokovic 6-4 6-2, with Alcaraz also in imposing form as he rolled through Taylor Fritz 6-4 6-2 in the other semi-final. Alcaraz won his last meeting with Sinner at the US Open final last month, with the Spaniard winning seven of their last eight matches.
When is Alcaraz v Sinner final at Six Kings Slam? Schedule and how to watch
Jannik Sinner satisfied with the improvements to his serve
16:30 , Jamie BraidwoodJannik Sinner lost just eight of the 45 points he played on serve against Novak Djokovic, with the Italian firing 10 aces and recording an 81 per cent first-serve percentage.
He said after his defeat to Carlos Alcaraz in the US Open final that he needed to improve his game and the early results on his serve after hugely encouraging for him. “Yes, I do feel that way,” Sinner said when asked if it was one of the best serving performances.
“I wish it would be every, every time like this, but no we try to, to work on things, we try to get better as a player,” Sinner contined. “You have days where certain or particular things work very well, so obviously today the serve worked really, really well. We all try to improve, so let's see.
“We worked a lot in the past month, we're serving hours and hours. But if this is the result, I'm very happy.”
Novak Djokovic to return for third-place match against Taylor Fritz
16:00 , Jamie BraidwoodNovak Djokovic mentioned in his post-match interview how much he is enjoying still competing against the best in the world and he will have another match at the Six Kings Slam against Taylor Fritz in the third-place play-off.
Djokovic has an 11-0 record against Fritz, who will attempt to record his first ever victory against him - even if it won’t count on their official head-to-head. Djokovic beat Fritz in the quarter-finals of the US Open last month, in a superb performance.
Carlos Alcaraz playing his 'best tennis' but yet to hit 'prime'
15:30 , Jamie BraidwoodCarlos Alcaraz says he is playing the best tennis of his career but doesn’t believe he has reached his “prime” yet.
The 22-year-old, who has won eight titles this season from ten finals, told Netflix: “What can I say after the year, I'm not in my prime, so I think there's more and a better Carlos to come.
“So far this is the best that I've played in my, in my career, so I can't say another thing about it. I'm just feeling the ball really well. I'm just moving really well. Everything is going in, so I think so far it's the best tennis that I've been playing.”
Jannik Sinner looking forward to 'great battle' with Carlos Alcaraz
15:00 , Jamie BraidwoodJust over a month after the US Open final, Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz will meet again as they play for the $6m overall prize at the Six Kings Slam.
Sinner won the Wimbledon final against Alcaraz in July but his defeat to the Spaniard in New York was his seventh defeat against him in their last eight meetings.
But he said: “I look forward to it every time when we face each other. It’s great for us. it's gonna be a great battle. I will try to be as ready as I can, but it's obviously a huge, huge honour to play against him again.”
Novak Djokovic has no plans to retire and wants to play at 40
14:00 , Jamie BraidwoodNovak Djokovic has no plans to retire from tennis with the 24-times grand slam winner citing NBA great LeBron James, former NFL player Tom Brady and veteran footballer Cristiano Ronaldo as his inspiration to keep playing.
"Longevity is one of my biggest motivations. I really want to see how far I can go," Djokovic said at the Joy Forum in Riyadh.
"If you see across all the global sports, LeBron James, he's still going strong, he's 40, Cristiano Ronaldo, and Tom Brady played till he was 40-something years old.
"I mean, it's unbelievable. They're inspiring me as well. So I want to keep going and that's one of the motivations I have."
Djokovic on Sinner's performance: 'He was a runaway train'
13:30 , Jamie Braidwood“I'm sorry you couldn't see a longer match today, it's his fault, not my fault!” Djokovic laughed after Sinner’s 6-4 6-2 win in the semi-finals.
“I tried to intimidate him a little bit at that last game with the last 0-15 point, but it didn't work.
“Look, it felt like a runaway train, you know, he was smacking the ball from all corners.
“I was just trying to, trying to hang in there, but he was just too good, so well done to him and good luck in the finals.”
How the Six Kings Slam prize money compares to grand slam tournaments
13:00 , Jamie BraidwoodThe Six Kings Slam champion will win a reported $6m (£4.5m) in prize money this week. That makes the exhibition the biggest prize in tennis, and above the four grand slams. Carlos Alcaraz recently took home $5m by winning the US Open, but the Six Kings Slam champion will take home more.
Six Kings Slam: $6m (£4.5m)
US Open: $5m (£3.74m)
Wimbledon: $4m (£3m)
French Open: $2.9m (£2.17m)
Australian Open: $2.3m (£1.75m)
Jannik Sinner on his victory over Novak Djokovic
12:30 , Jamie Braidwood“You know, I think he said everything, no. He's such a great role model for especially us, the younger generation. Seeing him competing, seeing him practice and training for these moments.
“It’s amazing. What he has achieved in his career, it's incredible and you know I see him as a real idol. To play against him is such a huge honor and and privilege.
“So, obviously, you know, I'm happy about today, but I'm also happy to see him around.”
Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner cruise through to final
12:00 , Jamie BraidwoodJannik Sinner will face rival Carlos Alcaraz in the final of the big-money Six Kings Slam exhibition after winning his latest meeting with Novak Djokovic to extend his winning run against the 24-time grand slam champion.
With Sinner winning his last six matches against Djokovic, including in the French Open and Wimbledon semi-finals this season, the Italian produced another dominant performance. “Excuse my language, but it's never nice when somebody kicks your ass like this on the court,” Djokovic said after Sinner cruised to an emphatic 6-4 6-2 victory.
Earlier, Alcaraz made his first appearance since withdrawing from the Shanghai Masters due to an ankle injury, with the World No 1 also finding sensational form as he defeated Taylor Fritz 6-4 6-2 behind a stunning array of shots.
Six Kings Slam results
11:30 , Jamie BraidwoodWednesday October 15
Quarter-final 1: Taylor Fritz defeats Alexander Zverev 6-3 6-4
Quarter-final 2: Jannik Sinner defeats Stefanos Tsitsipas 6-2 6-3
Thursday October 16
Semi-final 1: Carlos Alcaraz defeats Taylor Fritz 6-4 6-2
Semi-final 2: Jannik Sinner defeats Novak Djokovic 6-4 6-2
How to watch the Six Kings Slam
11:00 , Jamie BraidwoodThe Six Kings Slam will be shown live on Netflix. It is not a ‘pay-per-view’ event and is available to Netflix customers at no additional cost.
Six Kings Slam schedule
10:30 , Jamie BraidwoodSaturday October 18
From 5:30pm BST (UK time)
Third place match: Taylor Fritz vs Novak Djokovic
Not before 7:00pm BST (UK time)
Grand Final: Carlos Alcaraz vs Jannik Sinner
‘He kicked my a**’: Novak Djokovic sums up brutal reality after defeat to Jannik Sinner
10:00 , Jamie BraidwoodNovak Djokovic admitted Jannik Sinner “kicked my ass” after a heavy defeat to the World No 2 in the semi-finals of the Six Kings Slam exhibition in Saudi Arabia.
Sinner had won his last five competitive matches against the 24-time grand slam champion, including straight-sets victories in the semi-finals of Roland Garros and Wimbledon this season.
The 38-year-old Djokovic said Sinner and World No 1 Carlos Alcaraz were “too good” over best-of-five sets following his semi-final defeat to Alcaraz at last month’s US Open.
‘He kicked my a**’: Novak Djokovic sums up brutal reality after defeat to rival
Six Kings Slam reveals what the top tennis players want in 2026
09:10 , Jack RathbornAt a time in the season where the annual debate over what to do about the overpacked and unrelenting tennis calendar swings around once more, it seems there is always room for a little more competition when it comes with a $6m cheque for the champion on the side. Carlos Alcaraz, Novak Djokovic and Jannik Sinner are among the players involved as the Six Kings Slam returns for its second year in Saudi Arabia, with the three-day exhibition in Riyadh offering $1m more to the winner than Alcaraz received when he triumphed at last month’s US Open, itself the biggest prize fund in grand slam history.
Six Kings Slam reveals what the top tennis players want in 2026
Carlos Alcaraz provides worrying injury update ahead of Six Kings Slam match
08:50 , Jack Rathborn“I’ve been recovering the ankle as much and as good as I can,” explained the 22-year-old Spaniard.
“I don’t feel, I would say, 100 per cent, the doubts are there thinking about it a little bit when I’m moving on court.
“But I think it improved a lot and I’m going to compete and perform well here in the Six Kings Slam.”
Jack Draper the biggest threat to Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner, claims Tim Henman
08:30 , Jack RathbornTim Henman has backed Jack Draper to emerge as the biggest challenger to Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner despite the British star’s injury troubles.
“The obvious one that I would hope is Jack Draper,” said Henman, who is part of Netflix’s coverage of this week’s Six Kings Slam in Saudi Arabia, to the PA news agency.
“For the first half of the year he was playing some brilliant tennis and he was in the conversation, he beat Alcaraz in Indian Wells, so it’s frustrating that he’s had this injury problem.
Henman explains why Draper is the biggest threat to Alcaraz and Sinner
When is Alcaraz v Sinner final at Six Kings Slam?
Friday 17 October 2025 16:26 , Jack RathbornCarlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner will meet again in the final of the Six Kings Slam exhibition in Saudi Arabia. After battles in the finals of Roland Garros, Wimbledon and the US Open this season, the two best players in the world will compete for the $6m overall prize on Saturday.
Sinner thrashed Novak Djokovic 6-4 6-2, with the 38-year-old admitted he had his ass kicked, with Alcaraz also in imposing form as he rolled through Taylor Fritz 6-4 6-2 in the other semi-final. Alcaraz won his last meeting with Sinner at the US Open final last month, with the Spaniard winning seven of their last eight matches.
As it is an exhibition, the Six Kings Slam does not offer rankings points, or count towards official head-to-head records. It is the highest profile men’s tennis event to take place in Saudi Arabia, which has often been accused of using sport and entertainment to whitewash its human rights record.
When is Alcaraz v Sinner final at Six Kings Slam? Schedule and how to watch
