What’s next for Carlos Alcaraz?
The 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?
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Jamie Braidwood19 October 2025 14:33
Carlos Alcaraz now has ‘extra motivation’ for rest of the season
“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.
Jamie Braidwood19 October 2025 12:33
Will Jannik Sinner be favourite ahead of ATP Finals?
Jannik 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.”
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Jamie Braidwood19 October 2025 10:33
Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner on their ‘special friendship’
Alcaraz 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.
Jamie Braidwood19 October 2025 08:33
Jannik Sinner praises Carlos Alcaraz for ‘incredible year’
The 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.
Jamie Braidwood19 October 2025 06:33
Carlos Alcaraz on Jannik Sinner: ‘He was playing ping pong’
While 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.”
(AFP via Getty Images)
Jamie Braidwood19 October 2025 04:33
Carlos Alcaraz impressed by Jannik Sinner’s improved serve
“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.”
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Jamie Braidwood19 October 2025 02:33
The 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)
Jamie Braidwood19 October 2025 00:33
Carlos Alcaraz details Jannik Sinner’s key change in Six Kings Slam thrashing: ‘I could feel it’
Carlos 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.
Jamie Braidwood18 October 2025 23:09
Novak Djokovic explains retirement after picking up injury in ‘brutal’ Six Kings Slam match
Novak 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.
Jamie Braidwood18 October 2025 22:23