Overview
- Carlos Alcaraz defeated Taylor Fritz 6-4, 6-2 to advance to Saturday’s final at the ANB Arena in Riyadh.
- Novak Djokovic faces Jannik Sinner in the other semifinal later today, with the winner meeting Alcaraz in the title match after a mandated rest day.
- Each invitee is guaranteed $1.5 million, with an additional $4.5 million to the champion, in an event that awards no ATP ranking points.
- Alexander Zverev lost to Fritz in about 59 minutes in the quarterfinals yet still earned the $1.5 million participation fee, fueling criticism of the tournament’s scale and purpose.
- Players have acknowledged financial motivation and described the event as less mentally demanding than regular tour stops, as Netflix carries exclusive live coverage of the semifinals, third-place match and final.