Jannik Sinner blasted his way past world number one Carlos Alcaraz to claim victory in the final of the lucrative Six Kings Slam in Saudi Arabia on Saturday night.
The Wimbledon champion was simply too strong for the Spaniard as he cruised to a 6-2, 6-4 win in Riyadh.
“I wish I could play like this everywhere,” Sinner said of his performance in his on-court interview. “This season we played many, many times and I also lost many times to Carlos. It is a huge pleasure and honour to share the court with him.
“At the same time, you want to get better as a player and you need rivalries in the sport. So it's nice to have a great rivalry and more importantly a great friendship off the court.
“We have a very special friendship and it's very nice.”
World number two Sinner took an early grip on the first set when he broke in the opening game before holding serve in the second, and although the US Open champion got himself on the scoreboard in the next, the respite proved temporary.
The Italian held to love and then forced two break points in the fifth game, and when Alcaraz found the net with his backhand, Sinner led 4-1, an advantage he converted to take the opening set 6-2 in emphatic style.
Alcaraz regrouped at the start of the second, holding comfortably in the opening game and, after Sinner had levelled with the minimum of fuss, repeated the feat to lead 2-1.
Serving at 2-2, the Spaniard found himself 15-40 down and had to save four break points before eventually emerging victorious, but he was not so fortunate in his next service game as his opponent broke once again to lead 4-3.
The big-serving Italian confidently eased his way to within one game of victory and although Alcaraz made it 4-5, Sinner powered his way across the finishing line at the first time of asking.
“When Jannik is playing at this level it is always difficult, today he was just too good,” Alcaraz said.
“I always say when he plays such great tennis it gives me motivation to go to the practice court, give 100 per cent and try to be better. Sometimes he is annoying, but he gives me extra motivation.”
Alcaraz added: “A few times I wrote to him just to see how he's going or to congratulate him. We have a special relationship off the court, which is great.
“People think when two tennis players are competing for great things, giving their best on the court, they cannot have a great friendship off the court and I think we [have seen] it's possible.”
Earlier, 24-times grand slam winner Novak Djokovic had retired from his third place play-off clash with America’s Taylor Fritz.
The 38-year-old shook hands after Fritz, who had lost his previous 11 clashes with the Serbian, had taken the first set on a tiebreak after a gruelling 75 minutes.
