Carlos Alcaraz likely just played his tennis idol Rafael Nadal for the last time in their professional careers during Thursday's semifinal match of the Six Kings Slam. Although the score makes it look like Alcaraz ran away with the match at 6-3, 6-3, the 21-year-old admitted he still had to play his best in order to beat the 22-time major champion.

Rafael Nadal, in his first match since announcing he would be retiring after the Davis Cup next month, lost 6-3, 6-3 to Carlos Alcaraz at the Six Kings Slam on Thursday.

The 38-year-old Nadal, who announced last week he would retire from tennis after the Davis Cup Finals in Malaga in November, lost 6-3, 6-3 to 21-year-old Alcaraz in the semi-finals of the Six Kings Slam event in Saudi Arabia.

The hype surrounding the Rafael Nadal vs Carlos Alcaraz match at 6 Kings Slam was justified, as many across the world logged onto X to watch it.

At the Laver Cup last month, Carlos Alcaraz complained that the tennis schedule is "going to kill us". But this week the Spaniard, who has only played two ATP events since the US Open, is playing the £11.5m Six Kings Slam in Saudi Arabia where Rafa Nadal and Novak Djokovic are also competing for the £4.6m first prize.

Carlos praised his idol, admitting he sought a professional career after watching Rafa's matches while growing up. The young gun will try to enjoy the duel, although it will not be easy, considering it's the veteran's penultimate tournament in a career.

Rafael Nadal starts his pre-retirement farewell tour against Carlos Alcaraz on Thursday at the Six Kings Slam, and Novak Djokovic faces Jannik Sinner at the exhibition event that awards money but no ATP ranking points and is Saudi Arabia’s latest foray into tennis.

The kingdom is putting on the richest tennis exhibition in history, but its wider ambitions in the sport have contracted.

The Six Kings Slam is the most lucrative exhibition tennis tournament ever, taking place in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, as part of the country’s annual sporting season.