Carlos Alcaraz was all smiles after edging Jannik Sinner (left) in a tennis exhibition match. -EPA
Carlos Alcaraz beat his great rival Jannik Sinner 7-5 7-6 (10-8) to win their exhibition event in South Korea, marking the start of the season for the world's top two men's tennis players.
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There was little to separate the two during the entertaining clash, with World No.1 Alcaraz squeaking ahead towards the end of both sets to clinch the win over the defending Australian Open champion.
In their press conference on Friday, Sinner said the match would not be a true indicator of their levels heading into the new season and that both players would focus on entertaining spectators.
It was a promise they lived up to, as the largely light-hearted hit-around unsurprisingly lacked the intensity that has characterised their previous meetings on the sport's biggest stages.
The pair mixed up their game with an array of trick shots and engaged in a number of memorable rallies to keep fans at the Inspire Arena on the edge of their seats, with Sinner allowing a child in the stands to play a point for him in the second set.
