Jannik Sinner fought back from a set down to defeat Carlos Alcaraz in the Six Kings Slam final

The pair consistently force new levels out of each other with this match their fourth meeting of the year.

While Jannik Sinner had lost all three previous, including the Beijing final just a few weeks ago, the Italian was supreme on Saturday.

After the Italian went up an early break, Carlos Alcaraz managed to fight back and force a tie-break, eventually clinching it 7-5 after a Sinner backhand sailed long.

Proving his status at the very top however, a handful of breaks in the second saw the Italian race away to level the tie.

With a flash, the world number one raised his game and with a bruising forehand drive volley, secured his $6 million dollar prize, and more importantly, a much needed win over his rival.

Sinner has produced unbelievable tennis on the hard courts this year, winning both Grand Slams on the surface, as well as four of his remaining five titles coming on the hard courts.

A recent win in Shanghai against Novak Djokovic was repeated once again in Saudi Arabia, with the Italian toppling the 24-time champ once again.

With half of his ATP defeats coming this year to Alcaraz, the Italian made sure that even in an exhibition, he wasn’t about to make it four.

Speaking about how much Alcaraz drives him to be a better player he said: “It’s a mix of everything. As Carlos said, we try to push ourselves to the limit. I wake up in the morning trying to understand the ways to beat him.

“These kinds of rivalries and players push us to our 100% limit. I’m happy about this today. But the reason we came here was to show all of you what tennis is about. It can be long sometimes, like today. But we just try our best. Hopefully you enjoyed the show.”

A buoyant Riyadh crowd were treated to what is already in the early stages of a prolific sporting rivalry.

Quizzed on how good their career duels will become and the relationship the pair have formed off the court, Sinner responded: “We understand each other. We travel a lot. I would say we are good friends. Not the best out of the best. But we like to share every time when we go on court.

“We try to enjoy. Every match has been very very good. Hopefully this rivalry will last as long as possible. But there are so many other players who can jump in. Let’s see what’s coming in the future.”

Both players have quickly established themselves among the elite, with Alcaraz’s explosive, all-court game and Sinner’s powerful, precise baseline play creating truly absorbing affairs.

Their matches have been fiercely competitive, showcasing incredible shot-making, athleticism, and mental toughness beyond their years.

Each encounter between them feels like an encouraging glimpse into the future of tennis, where their rivalry could rival the greats like Djokovic and Rafael Nadal.

Indeed this week, Alcaraz and Sinner overcame these two giants in a fitting chapter change in the sport.

As they push each other to new heights, the sport is witnessing the birth of a thrilling new era.