RIYADH: The Six Kings Slam delivered another evening of world-class tennis in Riyadh on Thursday, with Italy’s Jannik Sinner and Spain’s Carlos Alcaraz continuing to assert their dominance, while Novak Djokovic acknowledged the shifting balance at the top of men’s tennis.
Sinner, who captured last year’s ATP Finals title, once again showcased the consistency and composure that have elevated him into the sport’s elite.
The Italian, who defeated Taylor Fritz to lift the year-end crown in 2024, produced another strong performance in Riyadh to reaffirm his place among tennis’ brightest stars.
Addressing Arab News’ question during the post-match press conference, Sinner reflected on the satisfaction of maintaining his level and focus. “Every day we have a challenge,” he said, adding that “Novak is a huge and tough challenge to play against.”
Djokovic, meanwhile, praised the quality of competition while admitting that the new generation led by Sinner and Alcaraz were playing “as close to perfection” as anyone right now.
“I always try to improve … but when I still do, I still try to play at the highest level and compete with the best players in the world,” Djokovic told Arab News.
“Jannik and Carlos are, without a doubt, a few levels above both all of us. But I still try to close the gap and challenge them at the biggest tournaments.”
He added that while his hunger for titles remains, he is aware that his current chapter comes with a new perspective.
“I have to be satisfied with being (among the) top five in the world, you know, in these circumstances,” he said. “You might never catch perfection, but you still lean towards it.”
Earlier in the evening, Alcaraz continued his impressive run with another victory over Fritz, replicating his Tokyo triumph from two weeks ago. The Spaniard’s variety and creative play again stole the show — particularly his crowd-pleasing drop shots.
“I came here to try to play aggressive, to do the same things that I did in Tokyo,” Alcaraz said.
“The conditions are totally different … the altitude is different, the balls fly more, bounce more, bigger, sooner. So I just tried to adapt myself as best as I can. It was a great feeling today.”
Asked about the artistry of his drop shots, Alcaraz explained: “It is a mix of both — the power and the touch. When I feel it, when I see the opponent step back, I make the most of that time to make the drops. The strategy for me is really important.”
Fritz said the result highlighted the fine margins at the elite level. “It’s tough to say because … I felt like the gap was closing,” he admitted.
“But tonight, it did not feel close. He (Alcaraz) played very well. I felt really slow on the court today … It just took one ball from him to kind of put me out of position.”
