Jannik Sinner split opinion over the weekend when he insisted that he did not play in Saudi Arabia for the money.

The Italian won the £4.6m prize at the Six Kings Slam – the biggest cheque paid out in tennis history.

Carlos Alcaraz has now insisted that of course money was partly a motivator in heading out to the Gulf state – directly contradicting his rival.

The 21-year-old said: “Well, I mean, if I say: ‘I went there just for fun or to play and forget the money, I’m gonna lie’. I mean, every person works for that, as well. You know, that’s how life is about.

“I love playing tennis. You know, most of the time I don’t think about the money. I just play for love or for fun. But you have to be realistic. You have to think that you want to earn money, you know, and that’s it.

“You know, in Arabia it was the highest prize money ever in history, so that was a good motivation, at least for me.”