It’s deja vu once more in Saudi Arabia this week. Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner got here by means of 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 largest 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 gained 12 of 13 factors during 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 incredible weapon right this moment.”
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 lately, even when Djokovic remains 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 complete 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 might 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 recreation.
He broke the Serbian icon within the first recreation of the second set and by no means seemed again. Djokovic had his moments and did his greatest to work the group, however Sinner was too targeted, too methodical, too good.
“I’m sorry you couldn’t see an extended match right this moment,” 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 individual kicks your ass like this on the court docket,” Djokovic added. “However it’s wonderful that I’m nonetheless capable of nonetheless play on the excessive degree, being Prime 10, Prime 5. I’m attempting my greatest… It’s been an unbelievable journey and an incredible profession, and there’s a lot to have fun, however I would really like if any individual 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.”
Because the starting of 2024 Alcaraz has gained seven of eight towards Alcaraz.
