Aryna Sabalenka says her controversial Battle of the Sexes style match against Nick Kyrgios won’t harm women’s sport.
Sabalenka, the women’s world number one and four-time major champion, will face 2022 Wimbledon finalist Kyrgios in an exhibition match on December 28.
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The event will take place in Dubai and will be broadcast live on the BBC.
Some see it as harmless fun between two top players, but others think it could devalue women’s football if Sabalenka loses.
Asked if this could be detrimental, Sabalenka told BBC Sport: “I don’t agree.
“I’m not taking any risks. We’re here to have fun and bring good tennis. Whoever wins, wins.”
She added: “It’s so obvious that men are biologically stronger than women, but that’s not what matters.
“This event will only help take women’s tennis to the next level.”
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Belarusian Sabalenka, 27, has been one of the standout players on the WTA Tour over the past few seasons, capping another wonderful season by winning the US Open in September.
Kyrgios, 30, has played just five professional matches in 2025 as he continues to rebuild a career he feared would end with a wrist injury.
The controversial Australian is ranked 672nd in the world and many are wondering what Sabalenka stands to gain from this event.
The concept was the brainchild of the duo’s mutual agent Stuart Duguid, who said the players would “do well” financially from the match, but that money was “not what’s driving it”.
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It is unclear whether the winner will receive a cash prize or whether both players will receive appearance fees or a share of the revenue.
“It’s not going to be an easy match for Nick,” Sabalenka said.
“I’m going to be there to compete and show that women are strong, powerful and good entertainment.
“He’s in a lose-lose situation. I’m in a win-win situation.”
In 1973, Billie Jean King faced Bobby Riggs in a match dubbed the “Battle of the Sexes”, attracting a worldwide television audience of 90 million and becoming part of cultural folklore thanks to a Hollywood portrayal.
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King’s victory over former Wimbledon champion Riggs – a 55-year-old self-proclaimed chauvinist – marked a turning point in the fight for gender equality and paved the way for equal pay at the top of the sport.
With WTA players now among the highest-paid athletes in the world, critics say this latest iteration of the “man versus woman” format is unnecessary.
But Kyrgios and Sabalenka say it will attract a new audience to tennis, with their promises of more entertainment and celebrity fans sitting on court.
“Tennis doesn’t really have that (razzmatazz) that often and I think when something like that happens it’s pretty special,” Kyrgios said.
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Sabalenka said: “We are helping tennis to grow.
“It’s fun, it’s a challenge and I think that’s what people want to see.”
I’m more mature now – Kyrgios
Critics have questioned Kyrgios’ suitability as a male protagonist, given that he admitted to assaulting an ex-girlfriend in 2021 and made a series of comments considered misogynistic.
Last year, Kyrgios shared a post from controversial influencer Andrew Tate before later distance oneself of the self-proclaimed misogynist.
Asked if he understood the criticism given his previous behavior, Kyrgios told BBC Sport: “Of course. But that’s life. You make comments when you’re younger and you change.”
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The former world number 13 said he was now a “different person”, adding: “I’m not going to sit here and say I’m an amazing role model, but I’ve grown up and I’m definitely more mature now.”
Kyrgios said he had not “thought” about the possibility that he could become a figurehead for misogynists ready to criticize women’s sport if he beat Sabalenka.
“That’s the only thing I’m good at: hitting a ball over a net and putting on a show for people,” he said.
“So I can do nothing but hope that Aryna and I play our best tennis and, ultimately, whoever wins, that our handshake will then solidify the union between men and women in the world of tennis.”
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Kyrgios, who has spoken openly about his alcohol and drug abuse in the past, said he was not worried about losing face if he lost to Sabalenka.
“I’m never worried. I know how I’ve reacted to things in my life,” he said.
“It’s all a bonus. I’ve lost tennis matches before, so it’s not really a big deal.”
Kyrgios said he saw the event, along with recent exhibitions in Atlanta and New York alongside Sabalenka, Naomi Osaka, Ben Shelton and Tommy Paul, as crucial preparation for a fuller return to the ATP Tour in 2026.
A knee injury means he has not played on tour since the Miami Open in March, but he said there were “real positive signs” in his fitness.
