Jannik Sinner is into the semifinals of the Six Kings Slam for the second consecutive time. On October 15, the Italian ace went past Stefanos Tsitsipas in straight sets to schedule a semifinal clash with Novak Djokovic.
Sinner is playing as the defending champion, and last year, he beat arch-rival Carlos Alcaraz in a thrilling final. This time as well, the World No.2 is projected to lock horns with the World No.1.
If this happens, then it will be their sixth encounter this season following the Italian Open, French Open, Wimbledon, Cincinnati Masters, and the US Open. Sinner clinched the win only at Wimbledon, while in Cincinnati, he handed Alcaraz the walkover. The four-time Grand Slam champion trails 5-10 in the head-to-head matchups with the Spaniard. He, in fact, won only at SW19 in their eight matchups.
It’s quite interesting. We have many dynamics, I would say. We have a good friendship off the court. On court, we try to play the best we can. Rivalry is all we need in this sport. We had great, great rivalries in the past. Now we have new players coming up. We try to push ourselves to the limit. It’s a very interesting dynamic. This sport needs rivalries. It’s great to have Novak here competing and playing the best tennis he can. It’s great for the sport.
Jannik Sinner said during the on-court interview
Sinner and Alcaraz have been dominating on the tour since 2024, sharing the eight Grand Slam titles between them. This season, Sinner has featured in seven finals, winning three titles, including at the Australian Open and Wimbledon. Alcaraz has achieved the most success this year as he played 10 finals and took home eight titles, including the French Open and the US Open (both by beating Sinner).
While Sinner had to play the quarterfinals to qualify for the semifinals, Alcaraz received a first-round bye and will be playing directly in the last four. The 22-year-old will be clashing with Taylor Fritz, who breezed past Alexander Zverev.
Jannik Sinner makes his feelings known on meeting Novak Djokovic once again
Novak Djokovic arrived in Riyadh after losing to eventual winner Valentin Vacherot in the semifinals of the Shanghai Masters. He will be squaring off against Sinner for the third time this season, following their encounters in the semifinals of the French Open and Wimbledon, where Sinner clinched the win in straight sets. Sinner holds a 6-4 head-to-head lead over the 24-time Grand Slam champion, also claiming the win in their previous five meetings.