It’s deja vu over again in Saudi Arabia this week. Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner got here via their semifinals and can face one another in for the coveted $6 million greenback prize cash on Saturday – after a day’s relaxation – in Riyadh.
The pair have performed the final three main finals, and collectively swept the final eight majors, with every profitable 4, so solely becoming that they play for the most important prize purse of the 12 months.
Alcaraz placed on a drop shot clinic towards Taylor Fritz, and logged a 6-4, 6-2 win in 69 minutes, the Spaniard profitable for the second time this fall towards Fritz, after Fritz beat Alcaraz at Laver Cup in September.
“12 out of 13, that’s nice,” Alcaraz stated when instructed by reporters of his drop shot effectivity on towards Fritz (he received 12 of 13 factors through which he tried a drop shot). “After 5 or 6 I simply realized that I used to be profitable all of the drop pictures that I used to be making. I believe Tokyo was type of the identical, I knew that the drop shot was going to be an excellent weapon in the present day.”
Sinner took out 24-time main champion Novak Djokovic within the second semifinal, additional reinforcing his dominance over the legend whom he has defeated 5 consecutive occasions on the tour, together with semifinals at Roland-Garros and Wimbledon this 12 months.
The 6-4, 6-2 victory was one other reminder that the game belongs to Sinner and Alcaraz today, even when Djokovic continues to be the GOAT and a sentimental favourite as he troopers on on the age of 38.
On the Six Kings Slam, every participant is assured an look payment of $1.5 million; the final one standing will get a bonus that brings his whole to 4 occasions that for the occasion, which is being broadcast reside on Netflix.
“The cash is nothing we’re attempting to cover. We all know how a lot is at stake right here, and it could be a lie if I instructed you it wasn’t a motivation,” stated Sinner earlier this week.
Apparently.
Sinner raced out to a double-break lead within the opening set earlier than Djokovic earned one of many breaks again. The Italian served out the set with ease within the tenth sport.
He broke the Serbian icon within the first sport of the second set and by no means seemed again. Djokovic had his moments and did his finest to work the gang, however Sinner was too targeted, too methodical, too good.
“I’m sorry you couldn’t see an extended match in the present day,” Djokovic stated. “It felt like a runaway prepare, he was smacking the ball from all corners and I used to be simply attempting to hold in there, he was simply too good.”
He transformed his first match level to shut the match in 62 blink-and-you-missed-it minutes.
“It’s by no means good when any person kicks your ass like this on the courtroom,” Djokovic added. “Nevertheless it’s superb that I’m nonetheless in a position to nonetheless play on the excessive degree, being High 10, High 5. I’m attempting my finest… It’s been an unbelievable journey and a tremendous profession, and there’s a lot to have fun, however I would really like if any person would commerce a youthful physique with me, that might be good, only for a 12 months so I can attempt to win towards these guys.
“Jokes apart, I nonetheless have the drive, I do know it’s turning into rather more troublesome for me to win towards Jannik and Carlos notably, however I’m going to maintain on difficult them till it occurs.”
For the reason that starting of 2024 Alcaraz has received seven of eight towards Alcaraz.
