Jannik Sinner reveals he 'looks up to' legend Novak Djokovic and rival Carlos Alcaraz ahead of Six Kings Slam final
Published 18/10/2025 at 14:32 GMT+1
Jannik Sinner has revealed that he looks up to tennis legend Novak Djokovic and rival Carlos Alcaraz ahead of the Six Kings Slam final. The world No. 2 defeated Djokovic to book his place in the final of the tournament. He will face Alcaraz in the climax of the competition, having gone toe-to-toe with the Spaniard in three of this year's four Grand Slam finals.
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Jannik Sinner emphasised the importance of having rivals after acknowledging that he looks up to Novak Djokovic and Carlos Alcaraz.
The Italian star will face the world No. 1 in the final of the Six Kings Slam, having defeated Djokovic 6-4 6-2 in the semi-finals in Riyadh.
Sinner and Alcaraz have dominated the sport during the 2025 season, going head-to-head in three of this year’s four Grand Slam finals.
The world No. 2 insists that the two greats of the game have motivated him to improve in recent years.
"For me, it’s very important to improve," said Sinner during an interview on Netflix following his victory over Djokovic at the Six Kings Slam. "That’s, for me, the most important.
"At the end of my career, I would love to say I did everything possible to achieve 100% of myself.
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"Success will never change me as a person. This is also very important. You need rivalries. You need better players than you.
"Carlos is an all-around player. An incredible talent. We saw this today on court. Drop shots… he can do everything.
"I look up to these guys. I look up to Novak. I look up to Carlos. To have a point where I can say, ‘Okay, it’s very important for me to improve’, this is exactly what motivates me."
Sinner now has four Grand Slams to his name after winning the Australian Open and Wimbledon this year.
He also reached the final of the French Open and US Open, but fell to defeat against Alcaraz on both occasions.
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The pair have met 15 times on the ATP Tour, with Sinner winning five of those encounters, and his Spanish rival coming out on top in 10.
Sinner believes their match at the Six Kings Slam is sure to be another entertaining battle.
"I look forward every time we face each other," he said during his on-court interview following the triumph over Djokovic.
"It’s great for us. It’s gonna be a great battle. I’ll try to be as ready as I can. It’s obviously a huge honour to play against him again.
"I’m looking forward to it. I hope you guys do also. We all hope for a great Saturday night."
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