Withdrawing from Shanghai but eagerly joining exhibition matches! The prize money allure and controversies behind Alcaraz’s Korea exhibition match

Carlos Alcaraz, the world’s No. 1 Spanish tennis player, has once again attracted widespread attention. On October 22 afternoon, he and his old adversary, Italy’s No. 2 Jannik Sinner, both posted on social media “See you in Korea.” Korean media reports that the exhibition will take place on January 10, 2026, at the Inspire Arena in Incheon, South Korea.

Less than a month ago, Alcaraz withdrew from the Shanghai Masters due to “injury troubles.” The young Spaniard announced on social media at the time: “I regret to inform you that I will not be able to compete in the 2025 Shanghai Masters this year! I have been struggling with injuries recently.” The exact details of the upcoming exhibition match between Alcaraz and Sinner in Korea have not yet been disclosed, but the organizers promised “to confirm and announce the match date, venue, ticket sales, and other related details soon.”

This is not the first time these two rising stars have met in an exhibition match. Just days ago, on October 18, they faced off at the “Six Kings Grand Slam” tennis exhibition in Saudi Arabia, where Sinner defeated Alcaraz in straight sets to successfully defend his title. Alcaraz has shown a positive attitude toward exhibitions; during the Saudi event, he explained: “Compared to the tour, these exhibitions are less demanding physically and mentally.” He further added: “The format and conditions of exhibition matches are completely different from official tournaments, which last 15 to 16 days and require intense focus and physical endurance. In exhibitions, we only play one or two days and simply enjoy the game.”

Alcaraz’s Asian season schedule has sparked much debate. This year, he chose to skip defending his title at the China Open and instead competed in Tokyo. There, he twisted his ankle in the first round but continued playing after treatment and ultimately won his eighth title of the season. Just two hours later, he announced on social media his withdrawal from the Shanghai Masters, a decision that raised questions among some fans. After all, the Shanghai Masters is an ATP 1000-level event, yet Alcaraz missed it due to injury. However, he later participated as planned in the “Six Kings Grand Slam” exhibition in Saudi Arabia, which intensified fans’ doubts.

The appeal of exhibition matches to top players is clear. The Saudi “Six Kings Grand Slam” exhibition offers a total prize fund of $13.5 million, with the winner’s prize plus appearance fees reaching $6 million. In comparison, this year’s US Open singles champion prize set a record high of $5 million. In other words, the prize money for winning this single exhibition surpasses that of a Grand Slam by $1 million. Such enormous financial incentives explain why players, despite complaining about tight schedules, are reluctant to miss these exhibitions. Alcaraz explained: “Many people say the schedule is tight and stressful, using exhibitions as an excuse. But exhibitions are different; the mental pressure is far less than that of official tournaments requiring two continuous weeks of competition.”

Fans have mixed reactions to Alcaraz’s frequent participation in exhibitions. Some understand: “It’s understandable; who wouldn’t want to earn huge prize money easily?” However, many criticize, arguing that players verbally complain about heavy schedules but jump at overseas exhibitions when large sums are offered, calling such “hypocritical behavior annoying.” Especially after Alcaraz withdrew from the Shanghai Masters, then chose to play in the Saudi exhibition and announced the upcoming Korea exhibition, a series of decisions that disappointed some Chinese fans.

Alcaraz seems aware of the controversy and has tried to clarify: “I understand the criticism, but sometimes people don’t understand us or our perspective.” After losing to Sinner in the Saudi “Six Kings Grand Slam” final, Alcaraz told him: “When he plays such fantastic tennis, it motivates me to return to training, give my all, and strive to improve.” Sinner also expressed mutual respect for Alcaraz: “It’s a great honor to compete against him. Having a great rivalry is wonderful, but more importantly, we share a deep friendship off the court.”

Both on and off the court, every interaction and decision by these top players reflects not only tennis but also the complex balance of commerce, competition, and personal choices in professional sports.(Source: Tennis Home, Author: Xiao Di)