A spectator was escorted off the court by security personnel after approaching Jannik Sinner, the world’s second-ranked player, at the Six Kings Slam tournament in Riyadh. Following a convincing 6-2, 6-3 win against Stefanos Tsitsipas in his opening match, Sinner was accosted by a young individual who seemed to be requesting his jacket post-game.
The fan and Sinner had a brief exchange, during which the fan shook Sinner’s hand and repeatedly gestured towards his jacket. Although their conversation was not captured by microphones, Sinner appeared confused as the fan tapped his jacket and then pointed to himself.
Security swiftly intervened, removing the fan so that Sinner could leave the court. Sinner had returned to competition after withdrawing from the recent Shanghai Masters due to challenging hot and humid conditions.
During the Shanghai tournament, the 24-year-old had to retire from his match due to severe cramps caused by the extreme weather, as did several other players. Sinner, the 2024 Shanghai champion, struggled to continue playing in the scorching conditions and eventually had to concede his match in the third set due to cramping issues.
Upon arriving in Riyadh to defend his title at the Six Kings Slam, Sinner attributed his cramps in Shanghai to a mental factor and expressed readiness to compete again. He acknowledged his mistake, learned from the experience, and emphasized the importance of mental preparedness.
Despite his previous setback, Sinner rebounded at the Six Kings Slam by defeating Tsitsipas and advancing to the semi-finals, where he is set to face Novak Djokovic. Reflecting on the upcoming match, Sinner mentioned that familiarity with Djokovic’s game would be advantageous, and he planned to maintain an aggressive approach during the game, particularly on return serves, leveraging his strong serving abilities in critical moments.
The court conditions at the tournament were described as challenging due to their bounce, adding an extra layer of complexity to the players’ strategies.