Sabalenka to face Kyrgios in ‘Battle of Sexes’

Later this year, Aryna Sabalenka will take on Nick Kyrgios in an exhibition match in the United Arab Emirates.

On December 28th, the Coca-Cola Arena in Dubai will host Belarus’ Sabalenka, 27, and 30-year-old Australian Kyrgios, who are ranked 652nd in the world.

Sabalenka, the reigning US Open and Wimbledon champion, is a four-time Grand Slam champion.

Since returning from a serious wrist injury that required him to play for 18 months, Kyrgios, who reached a career-high 13th in 2016, has only played five games this year.

Since missing the Miami Open second round in March, he hasn’t played on the ATP Tour.

Three official matches, the most famous being Bobby Riggs and Billie Jean King, have been dubbed the “Battle of the Sexes.”

Before King exacted revenge four months later, Riggs, an American veteran, beat Margaret Court in Australia.

Under hybrid rules, a 40-year-old Jimmy Connors defeated 35-year-old Martina Navratilova, a multiple Grand Slam champion, in 1992.

Billie Jean King deserves praise for her contributions to the women’s game, Sabalenka continued.

“I’m proud to be a part of this contemporary adaptation of the renowned “Battle of the Sexes” match and represent women’s tennis,” said I.

Kyrgios, who won the 2022 Wimbledon final, said he’ll be happy to face Sabalenka, who he shares an agent with.

You respond when the world number one challenges you, “as the saying goes. Aryna is a powerhouse and a true champion, he said, and I have a lot of respect for her.

Since the US Open in September rumor broke, tennis fans have divided into two camps.

In the era of social media content, some believe it to be harmless entertainment that will appeal to a younger, younger audience.

Others think it is a misguided initiative that was carried out by the Evolve agency, which the players both support, and presents an opportunity for women’s sport to belittled if Sabalenka is defeated by Kyrgios.

A significant part of the population thinks that the exhibition could unnecessarily foster sexism and misogyny because Kyrgios admitted to assaulting an ex-girlfriend in 2023 and later had to distance himself from controversial influencer Andrew Tate in 2024.

Sabalenka appears to be cautious about the impact the competition will have on women’s sports. She described the idea at the US Open as “cool idea” and laughed as she pledged to “kick Nick’s ass.”

However, it’s difficult to tell what she gains from the occasion, especially if she loses to a man who hasn’t been well for a while.

Kyrgios consistently demonstrates that he loves being in the spotlight, staying relevant despite his ongoing absence from the tour.