RIYADH: Defending champion Jannik Sinner advanced to the final of the 2025 Six Kings Slam exhibition tennis tournament after defeating Novak Djokovic in straight sets.
The Italian will face Spain’s Carlos Alcaraz in the final for the second consecutive year.
Sinner broke Djokovic’s serve in the third game of the opening set and maintained his advantage to win it 6-4.
The 14-year age gap became apparent in the second set as Djokovic struggled in long rallies.
Sinner quickly closed out the second set 6-2 to secure his place in the championship match.
Djokovic joked with the crowd after the match, saying he was sorry they could not see a longer contest.
“It felt like a runaway train,“ Djokovic said of Sinner’s performance.
“He was smacking the ball from all corners.”
Djokovic added that he was just trying to hang in there against the dominant Italian.
He concluded by wishing Sinner good luck in the final.
In the other semifinal, world number one Carlos Alcaraz faced American Taylor Fritz.
Alcaraz had beaten Fritz in straight sets in the Japan Open final just last month.
The Spaniard dominated once again, breaking Fritz’s serve three times during the match.
Alcaraz saved both break points he faced en route to a 6-4, 6-2 victory.
This win books his place in the final against Sinner on Saturday.
The final marks their first meeting since this year’s US Open final.
Alcaraz defeated Sinner 3-1 in that match to claim his sixth Grand Slam title.
That victory also allowed him to regain the world number one ranking.
Djokovic and Fritz will meet on Saturday in the third-place playoff.
The Six Kings Slam exhibition tournament was launched in 2024 as part of the Riyadh Season.
It features six of the world’s top male tennis players competing annually.
Sinner came from behind to defeat Alcaraz in last year’s final. – Bernama-Xinhua
