Just as in 2024, Jannik Sinner beat Carlos Alcaraz on the indoor fast court in Riyadh. The victory was never in doubt for the world number two, who got some revenge after the US Open final defeat at the hands of Alcaraz.
Sinner took just one hour and thirteen minutes to claim the Saudi title, imposing himself and closing without having lost a single set in three matches.
Alcaraz unrecognisable
More than a real match, it was a training session: the first set between the world number one and two lasted less than half an hour, with the Italian always in front from the first point: the Spaniard lost the first three exchanges and immediately gave up his serve, quickly finding himself two games down.
Alcaraz made a lot of mistakes, and Sinner dominated the first set of the Riyadh exhibition, appearing to be more concentrated in the points that count: the player from Sesto soon broke Alcaraz for the second time to go 5-1 up. Sinner would see the set out in a comfortable fashion to move within a set of the title.
Sinner does not get distracted
Both players were dominant on serve until 2-2 in the second set, with fast and not very hard-fought games. In the fifth game, however, the two fought for a long time, and Sinner failed to convert three break points and Alcaraz held serve, just.
But the break was a matter of time, and it arrived in the seventh game. After a spectacular exchange on break point, the world number one surrendered to the prolonged attack of the Italian, who went up 4-3.
The Italian did not tremble and closed out the set 6-4, conquering the Saudi tournament for the second year in a row in imperious fashion. At his best, Sinner really is unstoppable.