“When Jannik (Sinner) is playing at this level, it is always difficult. Today he was just too good,” admitted Carlos Alcaraz a little over a month since he routed the Italian in New York. On Saturday, in Riyadh, Sinner emerged victorious over the Spaniard for only the second time this season, at the Six Kings Slam, though this result will not be counted in the official records. In a rematch of the final from last season, the former world No. 1 showed what he can do when being at his best on the court. He did exactly that inside the Kingdom Arena.

For a second straight time, Sinner defeated Alcaraz at the Six Kings Slam. It only took him straight sets to wrap up the matter, with a scorelineof 6-2, 6-4. Just weeks ago, when the Spaniard dismantled him inside the Arthur Ashe Stadium (6-2, 3-6, 6-1, 6-4), the “Italian Machine” was thoroughly outplayed; Alcaraz broke his hard-court streak as well, apart from reclaiming the crown in New York and the No. 1 spot too.

Post-US Open, Sinner vowed to make a return, specifically to reign supreme over his rival. Making an honest confession on his performance, he said, “I was very predictable today. On court, in the way he did many things, he changed up the game. That’s also his style of how he plays. Now it’s going to be on me if I want to make changes or not, you know?” Now that he just managed to beat Alcaraz again, although in an exhibition face-off, can we say that he was really ‘unpredictable’ this time around?

Well, in the words of his rival, it appears Sinner is on the right path of inculcating certain key changes to get better. On Saturday night, Alcaraz got a fresh taste of what playing against Sinner in his prime feels like. During the presentation ceremony, when the Spaniard was asked about it, he answered, “Not really. Sometimes it seems like he’s playing ping pong. It’s not funny being on the other side of the net.”

Alcaraz was left with no room to make a return. Sinner broke his serve in the first game itself. It didn’t take him long to clinch the first set as well. Sinner’s confession after the win suggests that his goal to become unpredictable is now in motion. Although, it will take him time to get consistent in other events too.

“I wish I could play like this everywhere,” he admitted, as reported by BBC on October 18. “This season we played many, many times, and I also lost many times to Carlos. It is a huge pleasure and honor to share the court with him.”

Jannik Sinner shows signs of reinvention against Carlos Alcaraz

One can compare their recent two encounters in order to figure out if Jannik Sinner‘s performance really stood out on Saturday. During the US Open final, Alcaraz chained him on the court with his precision strike of backhands, unexpected drop shots, and powerful forehands. The Spaniard hit 10 aces, while the Italian’s score couldn’t move beyond two.

Alcaraz was 61 percent accurate with his first serve as opposed to Sinner, who got restricted at 48 percent. Plus, the six-time slam champion also won 83 percent of his first serve points compared to the four-time major winner’s 69 percent. Not to mention Alcaraz’s 42 winners overpowering Sinner’s mere 21.

But the script flipped at the Six Kings Slam. Sinner made it look more like a training session than a competitive battle. It is because he was able to wrap the first set in less than half an hour. In the second, when both were 2-2, Alcaraz had a chance to push the result into a decider. The Italian failed to convert three break points as his opponent held serve—but only momentarily.

In the seventh game, after a long tussle to earn crucial points, Alcaraz gave up. Sinner got a 4-3 lead, and he didn’t get nervous this time and managed to hold the momentum. Eventually, he took the second set before lifting the Six Kings Slam trophy for the second year in a row.