Cedric Pioline, director of the Paris Masters, commented on Jannik Sinner's withdrawal and expressed his concerns about the Six Kings Slam and the involvement of top stars on the Tour. The Italian announced he was withdrawing due to illness just days after winning the exhibition tournament where he earned $6 million.
The world No. 1 took home the largest prize money in tennis history, far exceeding any Grand Slam payouts. Pioline stated that the money from the Six Kings Slam “disturbed” the Tour due to the amount it offered, well beyond what the ATP can provide.
The news of Sinner’s withdrawal broke at the start of the day, as he now prepares for the ATP Finals. “I came very early here to prepare, and then I felt sick,” Sinner said in a social media video. “I'm having a virus at the moment, which is going to pass in the next two or three days. Body-wise, I am not able to compete.”
Later, Director Pioline commented: “It's a virus that he contracted before arriving in Paris,” he said. “I was able to speak to him a moment ago because he came to see me very kindly. He was very disappointed by this withdrawal.”
Nevertheless, the Paris Masters chief said he doesn’t believe Sinner’s withdrawal is directly linked to his participation in the exhibition in Saudi Arabia, though he acknowledged concerns about the lucrative payouts offered by such tournaments: “It's not up to me to judge,” he said.
“Every player, including Jannik, organizes his season as he sees fit. You could even say that, in general, Jannik is one of those who has a logical schedule and doesn’t overload his calendar. So I was quite confident.”
“As a high-level athlete, they are immunologically fragile at the end of the season; small things circulate, and they can catch them. Is it a question of bad luck? Probably.”
“There is the geopolitics of the circuit and discussions at the Grand Slam, ATP, and WTA levels about consolidation and reorganization,” Pioline added. “Nothing has been decided yet. Certainly, from my point of view, we have to be vigilant to ensure coherence.”
“With the money on the table in this Saudi exhibition, it is something that disrupts and destabilizes the existing ecosystem, which is not necessarily very healthy,” added the former world No. 5.
This is not an easy announcement to make. My team and I arrived early to prepare as best as possible, but unfortunately, I started feeling unwell during training and saw the doctor on Sunday. It turns out I’ve come down with a virus. I’m feeling better now, but I’m still not…
