A spectator was escorted off the court by security personnel after coming up to world No. 2 tennis player Jannik Sinner at the Six Kings Slam tournament in Riyadh. Following his impressive 6-2, 6-3 win against Stefanos Tsitsipas in the first match, Sinner was approached by a young fan who seemed interested in his jacket post-game.
The fan and Sinner had a brief exchange before security intervened and removed the boy from the scene. Meanwhile, as Sinner packed up, the event hosts Prakash Amritraj, Feliciano Lopez, and Laura Robson analyzed his performance.
The fan approached Sinner, shook his hand, and repeatedly pointed towards his jacket. Although their conversation was not audible on microphones, the four-time Major winner seemed confused as the boy tapped his jacket and then pointed to himself.
A security guard quickly intervened, taking the boy away from Sinner to allow the player to leave the court. Sinner had just returned to competition after withdrawing from the recent Shanghai Masters due to the challenging hot and humid weather conditions.
During the Shanghai event, the 24-year-old, who was the defending champion, faced difficulties along with other players due to the extreme climate. Sinner had to retire during the third set of his third-round match against Tallon Griekspoor because of severe cramps.
Upon arriving in Riyadh to defend his title at the Six Kings Slam, Sinner commented, “The cramps in Shanghai? I think they were due to a mental factor. I talked with my team – from that perspective, I wasn’t in top form, but now everything is fine. The mistake was mine; the heat and humidity affected me. You learn from these experiences – cramps can happen, and I was not alone in suffering from them.”
Nevertheless, Sinner made a strong comeback at the Six Kings Slam, defeating Tsitsipas and earning a spot in the semi-finals where he will face Novak Djokovic.
“In our matches, we are becoming more familiar with each other, having played numerous times. Over time, we improve as players and understand each other’s strategies better, so I had a tactical approach for the match,” shared the world No. 2 later on.
“I aimed to maintain an aggressive style, especially during return games. I felt confident in my serving during crucial moments. The court conditions are quite challenging, with significant bounce, adding an interesting dimension to the game.”