🔗 Share this article

Top-ranked Aryna Sabalenka will face Nick Kyrgios in a cross-gender exhibition match in the UAE later this year.

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

Four-time Grand Slam winner Sabalenka is the current Wimbledon and US Open champion.

Kyrgios, who reached a career-high 13th in 2016, has participated in just five games 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 have a lot of respect for Nick and his skill, but make no mistake, I'm ready to bring my A-game," Sabalenka commented.

Past Context of ‘Battle of the Sexes’

A trio of recognized contests known as the ‘Battle of the Sexes’ have taken place – most notably between Billie Jean King and Bobby Riggs in 1973.

American veteran Riggs had beaten Australia's Margaret Court before King got payback a few months after.

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

"I deeply admire Billie Jean King and what she has achieved for the women's game," Sabalenka added. "It's an honor to stand for women's tennis and to be part of this contemporary version of the legendary ‘Battle of the Sexes’ match."

Kyrgios, who made it to the 2022 Wimbledon final, expressed he will relish the chance to play against Sabalenka, with whom he shares the same agent.

"Being challenged by the top player, you answer the call. I've got great admiration for Aryna; she's a force and a true champion," he said. "But I've never backed down from a challenge, and I'm not just here to play, I'm here to entertain. This is what I live for."

Fun Spectacle or Damaging to Women's Sport? – Analysis

Followers of the sport have been split into opposing sides since talk of this exhibition started at the US Open in September.

Certain individuals believe it is a bit of harmless entertainment which will effectively draw the attention of a newer, younger audience in the age of social-media content.

Another group feels it is a ill-advised project – arranged by the Evolve agency which the players both share – and sets up an opportunity for women's sport to be undermined if Sabalenka is defeated by Kyrgios.

The fact that Kyrgios pleaded guilty to attacking an former partner in 2023, then later had to separate himself from controversial influencer Andrew Tate in 2024, is a big reason why that camp believe this exhibition could unnecessarily fuel gender bias and anti-women sentiment.

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

It is hard, however, to see what she gains from the event – particularly if she loses to a man who has not been in top form for a long time.

For Kyrgios, he manages to stay relevant despite his continued absence from the tour and firmly in the spotlight which he has repeatedly demonstrated he enjoys.

At this stage, specifics about the structure of the match are still scarce – although rules on serves and potential adjustments to the court are believed to have been discussed.