Alcaraz admits money was behind Six Kings Slam participation

Carlos Alcaraz has admitted his main motivation for playing at the Six Kings Slam in Riyadh earlier this month was financial.

The Spaniard explained his participation at the Saudi Arabian tennis exhibition ahead of his Paris Masters campaign this week.

“If I say I went there just for fun or to play and forget the money, I’m going to lie,” Alcaraz said.

“That’s obviously, I mean, every person works for that, as well.

“You know, that’s how life is about.

“I love playing tennis. 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.

“In (Saudi) Arabia is the most highest prize money ever in the history, so that was a good motivation, at least for me.”

The exhibition, where Alcaraz finished runner-up after losing to world No.1 Jannik Sinner in the final, offered a participation fee of $1.5 million and a further $6 million for the winner.

Alcaraz’s comments stand in direct contrast to Sinner’s, who earlier this week denied he played in Riyadh for financial reasons.

“Of course, it’s a nice prize and everything,” he said.

“But for me, I went there because there were possibly the six best players in the world and then you can measure yourself with them.

“For me, it was more that, ‘OK, I played the matches in the right way, and this hopefully can improve me as a player also for the future.’ And that’s it.

“The money is important but not that much. I live a good life also without this money.

“I think it’s much more important the health I have and surrounding myself with great people, the family, then the money is just an extra.”

Sinner and Alcaraz are seeded to meet in the final of the Paris Masters for what would be their fifth clash of the season, with bookmaker Bovada putting both at +200 in title betting ahead of their opening matches this week.

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