Riyadh
In ‘Six Kings Slam’ exhibition tennis tournament, World No. 1 Jannik Sinner and World No. 2 Carlos Alcaraz both secured their spots in the semifinals on Thursday.
In a match against former World No. 1 Daniil Medvedev, Sinner quickly took control. He broke Medvedev’s serve early, winning the first set decisively at 6-0. Medvedev showed signs of recovery in the second set, but Sinner maintained his strong performance, finishing the match with a 6-3 victory. Sinner will now face Serbian star Novak Djokovic in the semifinals. Following his win, Sinner expressed his enthusiasm about the event, stating, ‘We are very happy to be here. Hopefully, we can promote tennis in this beautiful country.’
Alcaraz had a thrilling matchup against Denmark’s Holger Rune. Both players held their serves until Alcaraz broke Rune’s serve in the ninth game, allowing him to take the first set 6-4. He continued his strong play in the second set, breaking serve again to seal the victory at 6-2. Alcaraz is set to compete against fellow Spaniard Rafael Nadal in the semifinals. Nadal recently announced plans to retire after the Davis Cup finals in November. Alcaraz shared his mixed emotions about facing Nadal, saying, ‘Knowing that he’s going to retire is pretty tough for everyone. I will try to enjoy sharing the court with him once again.’
The ‘Six Kings Slam,’ a highlight of Saudi Arabia’s ‘Riyadh Season,’ runs from October 16 to 19, with a grand prize of USD 6 million at stake.
