🔗 Share this article

World number one Aryna Sabalenka is set to challenge Nick Kyrgios in a ‘Battle of the Sexes’ match in the United Arab Emirates later this year.

Belarus' Sabalenka, 27, and thirty-year-old Australian Kyrgios – currently placed 652nd in the world – are set to play each other at the Coca-Cola Arena on December 28.

Four-times Grand Slam winner Sabalenka is the reigning Wimbledon and US Open title-holder.

Kyrgios, who reached a career-high 13th in 2016, has only played five matches this year since returning from a serious wrist injury that kept him out for 18 months.

He has not played on the ATP Tour since exiting in the Miami Open early stage in March.

"I greatly admire Nick and his talent, but make no mistake, I'm prepared to bring my A-game," Sabalenka said.

Past Context of ‘Battle of the Sexes’

Three official matches labeled as the ‘Battle of the Sexes’ have occurred – most famously between Billie Jean King and Bobby Riggs in 1973.

US legend Riggs had beaten Australia's Margaret Court before King got payback four months later.

In 1992, a forty-year-old Jimmy Connors beat fellow multi-time Grand Slam champion Martina Navratilova, then thirty-five, under hybrid rules.

"I have so much respect for Billie Jean King and what she has achieved for the female tennis," Sabalenka added. "I'm proud to stand for women's tennis and to be part of this contemporary version of the legendary ‘Battle of the Sexes’ match."

Kyrgios, who reached the 2022 Wimbledon final, said he will relish the chance to play against Sabalenka, with whom he has the same representative.

"When the world number one challenges you, you step up to the plate. I've got massive respect for Aryna; she's a force and a true champion," he remarked. "But I've never shied away from a challenge, and I'm not just here to play, I'm here to thrill the crowd. This is what I thrive on."

Fun Spectacle or Damaging to Female Athletics? – Analysis

Tennis fans have been divided into two camps since talk of this exhibition started at the US Open in September.

Some think it is a bit of harmless entertainment which will effectively draw the eyeballs of a younger demographic in the age of digital media.

Another group feels it is a misguided venture – organized by the Evolve management which the players both share – and creates an opportunity for female athletics to be undermined if Sabalenka is beaten by Kyrgios.

The fact that Kyrgios pleaded guilty to assaulting an former partner in 2023, then later had to distance himself from divisive figure Andrew Tate in 2024, is a key factor why some critics believe this exhibition could provoke gender bias and anti-women sentiment.

Sabalenka does not seem to be overly concerned the event will have a negative impact on women's sports. Speaking about the idea at the US Open, she said it was a "interesting concept" and laughed as she pledged to "defeat Nick convincingly".

It is difficult, however, to see what she gains from the event – especially if she is defeated to a man who has not been fit for a considerable period.

For Kyrgios, he remains in the spotlight despite his ongoing break from the tour and constantly in the public eye which he has repeatedly demonstrated he enjoys.

At this stage, specifics about the structure of the match are still limited – although serving restrictions and potential adjustments to the court are believed to have been considered.