It is only an exhibition tournament but the signal coming from the Six Kings Slam in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, is encouraging: Jannik Sinner dominated Carlos Alcaraz in the final, winning 6-2 6-4.
The game-changing performance against the Spaniard, promised by the Italian after his defeat at the US Open, was there: impeccable serve, sliced balls, and net volleys. Otherwise, the usual frenetic pace, depriving his opponent of time to think. Alcaraz appeared surprised and was never able to impose his game plan. Both players were coming off the turbulent Asian stages of the ATP Tour: victories and retirements that raised fears about their potential; instead, they put on a show with cinematic play. The South Tyrolean takes home the million-dollar prize money, for the second year in a row, and a nice boost of confidence ahead of the season finale, which will see its highlight at the ATP Finals in Turin.
The two smile and joke after the match. "Carlos is a friend, but I still want to improve. I don't have his magic tricks; you have to learn them." The Murcian player reciprocates: "Rivals, but friends. When Jannik plays like that, it's incredible; it's hard to compete with him."
The match began amidst a roar of excitement from the crowd, welcoming the two champions like stars. The Italian entered the court with determination and immediately broke Alcaraz, who lost the game at 15. The Spaniard immediately tried to fight back and tied the score at 30-30, but Sinner held serve with an ace. The number one player responded and went up 2-1. The two put on a show with exceptional shots that the crowd appreciated: they themselves, in turn, applauded their opponent's skill.
In the fourth game, Sinner serves well and leaves Alcaraz at love. In the fifth game, the South Tyrolean breaks again, pressuring Alcaraz, forcing him into frequent errors. Sinner serves well again and takes a 5-1 lead. The Spaniard seems to regain some concentration and cuts the deficit to 5-2, but it's too late. The Italian closes out the set 6-2 in 27 minutes .
In the second set, Alcaraz got off to a better start and held his own. The games were evenly matched until the tie was tied at 3-3 with the Murcia native serving. Sinner pushed hard and broke after some impressive play. The Sesto Val Pusteria champion served and led 5-3. Alcaraz, in turn, held serve with new balls and closed the gap to 5-4. In the final game, Sinner was unstoppable on serve and sealed the set and the match at 6-4.
(Unioneonline)