Spain’s Carlos Alcaraz, the world number two, revealed on Monday that the substantial prize money offered at the recent Six Kings Slam in Saudi Arabia was a motivating factor for his participation. As he prepares for the Paris Masters, Alcaraz reflected on his experience at the tournament, where he earned $1.5 million over four days in mid-October.
Sinner’s Sporting Focus
In contrast, Italian rival Jannik Sinner dismissed earlier suggestions that financial rewards influenced his decision to compete in the exhibition event. Sinner emphasized that his motivation for traveling to Riyadh was purely for the sporting challenge, highlighting a difference in perspectives between the two players.
Alcaraz on Balancing Passion and Realism
While Alcaraz expressed his love for the sport, he acknowledged the need to be realistic about earnings in professional tennis. “I love playing tennis. You know, most of the time I don’t think about the money. I just play for love or for fun. But you have to be realistic. You have to think that you want to earn money, you know, and that’s it,” he stated during a press conference.
He continued, “…in Arabia is the most highest prize money ever in the history, so that was a good motivation, at least for me.”
Reflecting on Past Performances
Alcaraz has had limited success at the Paris Masters in previous years, with a quarterfinal appearance being his best result. Despite winning both the French Open and Wimbledon this year, he admitted that the season has taken a toll on him. “I haven’t played good tennis here in this tournament. Probably at the end of the year, I have been tired, or yeah, as I said last year, I had to understand that the season is still going after September,” he noted.
He further elaborated on the challenges of the tight tournament calendar, stating, “The calendar is super tight, super demanding, as well. So coming to the last tournament of the year, probably I have been tired the last year, didn’t play as well as I wanted, but coming to this year, I think I’m feeling different.”
Upcoming Matches
The top seeds are set to begin their campaigns on Tuesday, with some matches having already started on Monday. Alcaraz is scheduled to face Chilean Nicolas Jarry in the round of 32 on Tuesday, as the Paris indoor tournament runs until November 3.
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