Tennis: Sabalenka faces Kyrgios in the Battle of the Sexes in Dubai

Aryna Sabalenka and Nick Kyrgios take to the court this Sunday (28/12), in Dubai, to participate in the so-called Battle of the Sexes, a friendly tennis match that brings together athletes from the women’s and men’s circuits in a special format. The clash begins at 1 p.m. (Brasilia time) and marks a modern edition of a historic event in the sport.

The duel attracts attention because it pits the current number 1 in the women’s rankings against one of the best-known names in men’s tennis of the last decade.

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Sabalenka is the current world number 1

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Kyrgios has already said he will beat every tennis player at the top of the women’s rankings.

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Sabalenka has 4 Grand Slam titles

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Kyrgios reaches career-best 13th place

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To balance the conflict, the organization adopted rules different from traditional rules. Each player will only be allowed one serve per point, the court on Sabalenka’s side will be 9% smaller and the match will be played in three sets maximum. If necessary, the deciding set will be a ten-point super tie-break.

At 27, Sabalenka is at the peak of her career. The Belarusian leads the world rankings and has four Grand Slam singles titles. Kyrgios, 30, is going through a different phase, with few recent performances due to physical problems, but he has the 2022 Wimbledon final under his belt and 13th as his career-best ranking.

Provocation and rivalry

The confrontation took shape after Kyrgios’ public statements during the US Open, when he said he would easily beat the main players on the women’s tour. Sabalenka responded to the provocations and expressed interest in confronting him, which led to the organization of the event.

“I am proud to represent women’s tennis and be part of the modern iconic Battle of the Sexes tournament. I have a lot of respect for Nick and his talent, but make no mistake, I am ready to give my best,” Sabalenka said.

Kyrgios maintained a provocative tone when commenting on the duel: “She’s not going to beat me. Do you really think I have to give 100 percent? I’ll try because I’m the representative of the men,” said the Australian.

The Battle of the Sexes originated in 1973, when Billie Jean King defeated Bobby Riggs in a historic match in the United States. The confrontation became a symbol of the fight for equality in sports.