Sinner wins controversial event

Short process: Jannik Sinner quickly stormed into the semi-finals of the controversial “Six Kings Slam” show tournament. After the easy 6:0, 6:3 against Daniil Medvedev, the number one in the tennis world rankings now has a semi-final duel with Grand Slam record winner Novak Djokovic. The Serb is already seeded for the semi-finals.

Against a manageable backdrop in Riyadh, the sinner, who was in a great mood, only needed 1:08 hours against the very frustrated Medvedev. A few days after his Masters title in Shanghai, the Italian is aiming for his next triumph in the next few days. “It’s a special place – we all love playing here,” Sinner said after the match.

The spectacularly marketed “Six Kings Slam” and the participation of the sport’s top stars are causing discussions in advance. Critics accuse the venue, Saudi Arabia, of wanting to use “sportswashing” to cover up mistakes such as human rights violations.

The star line-up in Riyadh is also interesting in view of the simmering discussion about stress in professional tennis. Carlos Alcaraz, who recently complained loudly about the calendar being too full (“it will kill us”), is now competing in the Laver Cup in Saudi Arabia, as he did last time in Berlin.

Each of the six players will receive at least $1.5 million for their participation, with the winner winning as much as $6 million. That’s about twice as much as world number one Jannik Sinner received for his victory at the US Open.