It was a familiar scene again this week in Saudi Arabia. Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner reached the semi-finals and, after a day’s rest, will compete for the coveted $6 million prize in Riyadh on Saturday.
The pair have competed in the last three Grand Slam finals and have collectively swept the last eight majors, winning four matches each, so it’s only fitting that they compete for the biggest prize of the year.
Alcaraz hit a lob against Taylor Fritz and won 6-4, 6-2 in 69 minutes, the Spaniard’s second victory over Fritz this fall after Fritz defeated Alcaraz in the Laver Cup in September.
“12 out of 13 points, that’s awesome,” Alcaraz said of his lob efficiency against Fritz (he won 12 of 13 lob attempts) when speaking to reporters. “After five or six balls, I realized I was winning all the lobs. I think it was the same in Tokyo, and I knew the lob was going to be a great weapon today.”
Sinner defeated 24-time Grand Slam champion Novak Djokovic in the second semi-final, further cementing his dominance over the legend, whom he has defeated five times in a row on tour, including semi-finals at Roland Garros and Wimbledon this year.
The 6-4, 6-2 victory was another reminder that the sport now belongs to Sinner and Alcaraz, although Djokovic remains the GOAT and emotional favorite at 38.
In the Six Kings Slam, each player is guaranteed a $1.5 million appearance fee; the last winner will receive a bonus, bringing his total to four times the prize money for the event, which is streaming live on Netflix.
“We’re not trying to hide money. We know how much is at stake here, and if I told you that wasn’t the motive, that would be a lie,” Sinner said earlier this week.
Apparently.
Sinner took a double-break lead in the first set before Djokovic earned a break. The Italian easily won the service set in the tenth game.
He broke Serbia’s mark in the first game of the second set and never looked back. Djokovic had his moments and did his best to captivate the crowd, but Sinner was too focused, too methodical, too good.
“I’m sorry you couldn’t watch a longer match today,” Djokovic said. “It felt like a runaway train, he was hitting the ball from every corner and I was just trying to hold on, he was so good.”
He grabbed his first match point in the 62nd minute to end the match.
“It’s definitely not a good thing when someone kicks your ass like that on the court,” Djokovic added. “But it’s amazing that I’m still able to compete at a high level and be in the top 10, top five. I’m trying my best… It’s been an incredible journey and an amazing career and there’s a lot to celebrate, but I wish it would be great if someone would trade me for a younger body, just for a year so I can try to beat these guys.
“Jokes aside, I am still motivated and I know it will be more difficult for me to beat Jannik and Carlos in particular, but I will continue to challenge them until that happens.”
Alcaraz has won seven of eight games against Alcaraz since the start of 2024.
