Jannik Sinner has been on fire this season! With seven titles, including two Grand Slams under his belt, and a strong showing at the high-profile exhibition in Riyadh, he’s proving he’s here to dominate. But in a recent twist, his victory at the Six Kings Slam—and the massive prize money that came with it—has fans talking. And not in the way he might’ve hoped! His latest remarks about his success and that big payout haven’t exactly landed well with everyone, sparking a flurry of reactions and some sharp digs from fans. 

Sinner engaged in interaction with EuroSports and deliberated on a wide range of factors including his latest victory at the Six Kings Slam where he was awarded a paycheque of $6 Million. When quizzed about how the prize money impacted him and if he planned to celebrate in a grand manner, Sinner shared a unique perspective. 

Speaking in the interview, the World No. 1 shared, “I don’t play for money. It’s very simple. Of course it’s a nice prize and everything. For me, I went there because there were possibly the six best players in the world and then you can measure yourself with them. And it was also a nice event for me. The money is important but not that much.” However, this did not sit well with the fans. 

As soon as the excerpt from the interview gained traction on X, several fans took to the microblogging platform to lash out at the player and termed him a liar. They also questioned why he did not donate the prize money and participated in the event in the first place. 

Jannik Sinner faces immense criticism from fans

Taking to X, one user wrote, “Llier, how else is he going to pay for clostebol, lawyers and media propagandists??” Remember, Sinner’s statements come at a time when he is accused of doping. The star player tested positive for low levels of a metabolite of clostebol during the Indian Wells But he was acquitted of the charges by an independent tribunal, which ruled that he bore “no fault or negligence” on a judgment just before the US Open. 

However, he continued to witness immense criticism from the community, and an appeal against the decision was also filed by WADA to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) seeking a ban on Sinner, the ruling on which is still awaited. And it seems that fans have continued to lash out at him and believe that he was directly involved in the matter. More reactions continued to follow.

Responding to the post, another user wrote, “It’s easier to say when you have the money already.” Sinner’s prize money was indeed hefty as compared to other tournaments. In fact, represented 50% of Sinner’s total 2024 on-court winnings of $12,032,935 this year and gave a major boost to the finances of the player, thereby drawing such reactions. Similarly, more people joined the fray to lash out at the player.

“Let’s be real it was all about money, for ALL of them.. Decent format of the tournament was just a bonus..” For the unversed, the tournament bore no points for participation and is not recognized officially by the ATP. Hence, fans are claiming that money was the main reason for all six players, including Carlos Alcaraz, Daniil Medvedev, Novak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal, and Holger Rune. Besides, the other five players who participated in the tournament were paid $1.5 million each just for their participation.

One more user criticized Sinner and wrote, “So give the money to a charity! This is the only way to walk out of it without selling yourself.” Interestingly, this is not the first time when Sinner has expressed such sentiments about money. In an interview given to the Italian newspaper Corriere della Sera in November last year, Sinner said, “My concern is not profit, it is never money. If it were, I would always play. I wouldn’t take breaks. On the contrary, I’m interested in eating well, sleeping the right hours, eating at home whenever I can, & being ready on the court the next morning.”

Yet another user simply took a dig at Jannik Sinner and wrote, “this is quite possibly the funniest thing he could have said.” As Sinner now gears up for another tournament of the season, it would be interesting to see if he faces more such criticism. Can he keep his focus intact amidst the backlashes? Well, only time will tell