After the US Open in September, Sinner lost his world No. 1 ranking to Alcaraz. He retaliated with a purpose, crushing his opponent 6-2, 6-4 to exact revenge for that heartbreaking loss in New York.
The 24-year-old Italian earned an incredible $6 million (£4.5m) for his efforts, which comprised a $1.5 million (£1.1m) participation fee and $4.5 million (£3.4m) in prize money. It was more than just a win; it was a declaration.
Even though the two men split the four Grand Slam victories this season equally, Sinner appeared to be in total control from the first ball. Alcaraz spent a large portion of the fight chasing shadows, later acknowledging that his opponent was "just too good."
Sinner grabbed the opening set with merciless efficiency after breaking Alcaraz's serve immediately away. The Spaniard found it difficult to find rhythm or resistance as every serve and return appeared to be made with purpose.
After making the pivotal break in the seventh game of the second set, he completed a performance that combined accuracy, finesse, and payback to secure the victory and his second consecutive exhibition title.
"This season we played many, many times and I also lost many times to Carlos. It is a huge pleasure and honour to share the court with him. We have a very special friendship and it's very nice."
"At the same time, you want to get better as a player and you need rivalries in the sport. So it's nice to have a great rivalry and more importantly a great friendship off the court.”
"I wish I could play like this everywhere," Sinner said in his on-court interview.
For the three-day exhibition, which was broadcast on Netflix worldwide and featured a lot of spectacle, six of the best men's tennis players in the world came together in Saudi Arabia. It was more than simply another tennis tournament; it was a display of strength, status, and, for some, controversy.
The increasing influence of Saudi Arabia in international sports is still a topic of discussion. As the kingdom's human rights record continues to be scrutinized, critics accuse it of "sportswashing," or utilizing its extravagant investments in major events to enhance its reputation internationally.
The matches in Riyadh were exhibitions and had no bearing on official head-to-head records or ATP rankings. Nevertheless, the competition was intense. Sinner destroyed the 24-time Grand Slam champion Novak Djokovic before the Serb retired from his third-place match after losing the first set to Fritz earlier on Saturday. Meanwhile, Alcaraz easily defeated Taylor Fritz in straight sets to guarantee his spot in the final.
More than merely a conclusion, Sinner and Alcaraz's match was the most recent development in one of tennis' most fascinating rivalries. In their rivalry, which is redefining the sport's current era, the two have won nine of the last 10 majors and faced off in each of the last three Grand Slam finals.
"I always say when he plays such great tennis it gives me motivation to go to the practice court, give 100% and try to be better. Sometimes he is annoying, but he gives me extra motivation."
"When Jannik is playing at this level it is always difficult, today he was just too good," Alcaraz said.
"People think when two tennis players are competing for great things, giving their best on the court, they cannot have a great friendship off the court and I think we [have seen] it's possible."
"A few times I wrote to him just to see how he's going or to congratulate him. We have a special relationship off the court, which is great.” Regarding their friendship off the court, Alcaraz continued.
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