NOVAK DJOKOVIC HONEST AFTER DEFEAT TO SINNER AT SIX KINGS SLAM
Novak Djokovic said Jannik Sinner "kicked my ass" after a straight-sets defeat in the Six Kings Slam semi-final. The World No. 2's dominant win sets up a final against rival Carlos Alcaraz in Riyadh.
In the semi-finals of the Six Kings Slam exhibition in Saudi Arabia, Novak Djokovic acknowledged that Jannik Sinner "kicked my ass" following a crushing loss to the world No. 2.
Sinner had defeated the 24-time Grand Slam champion in straight sets in the Roland Garros and Wimbledon semifinals this season, and he had won his previous six competitive encounters against him.
After losing to world No. 1 Carlos Alcaraz in the US Open semifinals last month, the 38-year-old Djokovic claimed that Sinner and Alcaraz were "too talented" during best-of-five sets.
However, Djokovic did not fare any better in Riyadh due to the shorter format. Sinner defeated the Serbian 6-4, 6-2 with a masterful serving display, securing a rematch with Alcaraz on Saturday.
Djokovic acknowledged that Sinner and Alcaraz, who have combined to win the last eight Grand Slam titles, are better than him at 38, but he promised to keep looking for a method to defeat them.
During a rare on-court interview with the losing player, Djokovic laughed and said, "Pardon my profanity, but it is never good when somebody kicks your ass like this on the court."
However, it is very incredible that I can still play at a high level and place in the top five or ten. It is a pleasant sensation. I am doing my best. I am thankful for everything that God has given me in my life, including my body.
"I would enjoy it if someone could switch a younger body with me, but it has been a fantastic trip and career, and there is so much to celebrate." Just for a year, it would be great, so I can strive to keep beating these guys.
Jokes aside, I am still motivated. Of course, I am aware that I am finding it increasingly challenging to defeat Jannik and Carlos in particular. Let us wait and see, but I am going to continue to challenge them.
Djokovic stated that the loss was still "worth it because of the love for the game and the passion for tennis." Djokovic will play Taylor Fritz again on Saturday in the match for third place.
"I am sorry you could not see a longer match today; it is his fault, not mine," he said to the audience. I used the 0–15 point in the last game to try to scare him a little, but it did not succeed.
See, it was like a train on fire. He was hitting the ball from every angle. He was simply too good for me to keep up with, so congrats to him and best of luck in the championship game.
The 24-year-old Sinner then took his chance to speak to the audience, beginning with the following: "You know, I think he said everything, no?
He is a fantastic role model, especially for the younger generation like ourselves. observing him compete, train, and prepare for these occasions.
It is incredible. I consider him a true idol because of the amazing things he has accomplished in his career. It is such a great pleasure and privilege to play against him. Naturally, I am pleased with today, but I am also glad to see him.
This Saturday's Six Kings Slam exhibition will be Sinner and Alcaraz's most recent encounter after they faced off in the Roland Garros, Wimbledon, and US Open finals this season.
Sinner will be out to defend the $6 million total prize after defeating Alcaraz in last year's Six Kings final, although Alcaraz has won their last meeting.
The world No. 1 has won seven of their last eight official matches on tour, including a victory against Sinner in the US Open final last month to exact revenge for his loss in the Wimbledon final.
WHY DID 22 PLAYERS SUDDENLY WITHDRAW FROM THE 2026 ITALIAN OPEN MID-TOURNAMENT?
Discover the full list of injured stars, including Carlos Alcaraz and Emma Raducanu, forced out of the 2026 Italian Open.
At the 2026 Italian Open, the number of players who have withdrawn or retired during matches has climbed to 22, spanning both the ATP and WTA competitions.
By midweek, 17 players had already exited the combined ATP/WTA 1000 event in Rome. Since then, an additional three men and two women have followed suit.
Before the draws were even announced on Monday, prominent names like Carlos Alcaraz, Taylor Fritz, Jack Draper, and Marketa Vondrousova had pulled out. On the opening day of the women’s tournament, Tuesday, Marta Kostyuk and Emma Raducanu also withdrew.
Amanda Anisimova, ranked sixth in the WTA, stepped back before her first match on Thursday due to a left wrist injury. Meanwhile, Victoria Mboko, who is ninth in the world, withdrew before playing on Friday because of a gastrointestinal illness.
Valentin Vacherot, the 16th-ranked player on the ATP tour, pulled out shortly before his scheduled second-round match against Marin Cilic on Friday, citing a foot injury.
Tomas Machac, holding the 41st spot in the men's rankings, also withdrew ahead of his second-round encounter with Daniil Medvedev after an impactful win against Stefanos Tsitsipas in round one.
Arthur Fils, ranked 17th, retired during his opening match against Andrea Pellegrino on Saturday, trailing 0-4, due to hip pain.
Here’s a rundown of the withdrawals on the ATP side: Carlos Alcaraz (No. 2) was replaced by Sebastian Ofner; Taylor Fritz (No. 7) by Zachary Svajda; Valentin Vacherot (No. 16) by Martin Landaluce; Arthur Rinderknech (No. 24) by Aleksandar Kovacevic; Holger Rune (No. 40) by Damir Dzumhur; Gabriel Diallo (No. 46) by Alexander Blockx; Jack Draper (No. 50) by Hamad Medjedovic; Raphael Collignon (No. 68) by Alexandre Muller; Reilly Opelka (No. 74) by Aleksandar Vukic; Arthur Cazaux (No. 73) by Mattia Bellucci; Kamil Majchrzak (No. 76) by Roberto Bautista Agut; and Eliot Spizzirri (No. 92) by James Duckworth.
On the WTA side, Amanda Anisimova (No. 6) was replaced by Elena Gabriela Ruse from Romania; Victoria Mboko (No. 9) by Nikola Bartunkova; Marta Kostyuk (No. 15) by Ajla Tomljanovic; Emma Raducanu (No. 30) by Lilli Tagger; Marketa Vondrousova (No. 44) by Solana Sierra; Sonay Kartal (No. 56) by Zeynep Sonmez; Varvara Gracheva (No. 61) by Eva Lys; and Veronika Kudermetova (No. 70) by Petra Marcinko.
THE "REST OVER REPS" PLAN: WHY JANNIK SINNER IS SNUBBING HALLE FOR WIMBLEDON
After 23 consecutive wins, World No. 1 Jannik Sinner adjusts his schedule to target a Career Grand Slam and Wimbledon glory.
Jannik Sinner has already logged a heavy schedule this year, with deep runs in recent Masters 1000 tournaments keeping him on court against top-tier competition regularly. Given this demanding stretch, he’s taken a fresh look at his calendar and decided to skip the Halle Open, carving out a three-week break between Roland Garros and his Wimbledon title defence.
The 2024 Wimbledon champion won’t be heading to Germany for the grass-court event. That’s notable since Sinner claimed that Wimbledon crown in impressive fashion, overcoming two-time winner Carlos Alcaraz to secure his first major title away from hardcourts. That victory was his latest Grand Slam, following Alcaraz’s wins at the previous two majors.
After Roland Garros, where he seeks to complete the career Grand Slam, Sinner plans to recharge rather than pile on more tournaments before Wimbledon. Without Alcaraz in sight, he’s considered a favourite to maintain his remarkable run. His recent haul includes titles at Indian Wells, Miami, Monte-Carlo, and, most recently, Madrid. Now, he’s setting his sights on Rome, his home turf, where he’s never clinched a win but is eager to continue an ambitious streak of Masters 1000 victories, aiming for a sixth in a row.
Post-Rome, he’ll take a week off before the French Open begins. In total, Sinner has played 23 matches over the last two months without tasting defeat. If he wants to lift the Rome trophy, he’ll need to notch six more wins, then potentially battle through seven more rounds in Paris. This demanding schedule partly explains his choice to forgo Halle.
As for the 2026 Halle Open, fans might be disappointed not to see the world number one, but the field remains strong. Heading the draw is Alexander Zverev, a local favourite who has yet to claim a grass-court title or even one on home soil. With Sinner out, this could be a prime opportunity for Zverev to break through.
The American players are also well represented. The U.S. hasn’t seen a finalist here since Mardy Fish in 2004, but Taylor Fritz and Ben Shelton might be poised to change that, especially Fritz, who has already shown grass prowess with titles in Stuttgart and Eastbourne last year.
Defending champion Alexander Bublik, who ousted Sinner on his way to victory and took down Daniil Medvedev in the final, will be back aiming to repeat. Alongside him, names like Andrey Rublev, Flavio Cobolli, and Frances Tiafoe are also set to compete. The tournament runs from June 15 to 21, promising plenty of exciting tennis.
