Jannik, perfect on serve, got rid of the Serbian 24-time Slam champion in one hour and three minutes. The gap between the two is now too great. The last act of the Six Kings Slam, between the Italian and Carlos, is scheduled for 8.30pm
Jannik Sinner’s law still applies in Riyadh. If last year the battle against Novak Djokovic was a battle lasting three sets and two and a half hours, today it’s a completely different story in the Six Kings Slam match. An hour and three minutes were enough for the number two in the world to beat and dominate the twenty-four time Slam champion in the semi-final: 6-4 6-2 is the final result. Jannik, today as impeccable on serve as perhaps he has ever been this season, gives himself the second consecutive final in the rich exhibition tournament. On Saturday at 8.30pm he will challenge, like last year, Carlos Alcaraz: the Spaniard beat the American Taylor Fritz in his semi-final with a comfortable 6-4 6-2. It will once again be number one against number two to win the rich prize money, yet another chapter in the new tennis rivalry.
THE MATCH –
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In Riyadh, the script of this semi-final is what was expected from the beginning, what they themselves predicted. “Remember me in the best of times,” Djokovic said of this match on Sinner. Jannik, however, is more powerful, more dynamic, quicker at the moment and this makes the difference in the long exchanges that define the start of the match. Nole immediately finds himself under pressure from the baseline and on the break point, at 2-1, he tries to change something: he tries a serve and volley, in vain, and the Serbian thus loses serve. Sinner’s innings flow quickly and twice he doesn’t concede any runs in response. Nole struggles to hold on to this set, but in the end it is a single break that gives the reigning Wimbledon champion, perfect on serve today (83% percentage, a number rarely seen this season), his first set in just over half an hour. The fate of the match can already be seen at the beginning of the second set. Put under pressure by Sinner, we start immediately with a break lost by Djokovic. The Serbian tennis player is unable to contain the power of his opponent and, without any particular weapons at his disposal in this match, at 3-1 he loses another serve. Having canceled the first two break points of the match at 4-1 and left the former world number one with the satisfaction of showing off at least one celebration, Sinner easily closed out a dominated semi-final and obtained another victory against Djokovic, the third of the season. Once again, the student surpassed the master.
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“I’m sorry that today you couldn’t see a longer match,” Djokovic said at the end of the match, apologizing to the fans. “It’s his fault, not mine,” he added. “I tried to intimidate him in that last game at the 0-15 point, but it didn’t work. He looked like a runaway train, he kicked me in the butt, excuse the term. Jannik hit the ball from every angle and was simply too strong. Congratulations to him and good luck in the final.”
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“Nole is truly a great role model for the new generations – commented Sinner -. Seeing him compete, train and fight for moments like these is incredible. What he has achieved in his career is extraordinary. I consider him a true idol. Playing against him is a huge honor and privilege. I am happy for today, but also happy to see him in tournaments and to have him around.” And on the final with Alcaraz he said: “I can’t wait every time we play let’s face it. It’s fantastic for us, it will be a great battle and I will try to be as ready as possible. It’s obviously a huge honor to play against him again. We’re all hoping for a great Saturday night.”
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