🔗 Share this article

Top-ranked Aryna Sabalenka will face Nick Kyrgios in a cross-gender exhibition event in the United Arab Emirates in December.

The Belarusian Sabalenka, twenty-seven, and thirty-year-old Australian Kyrgios – ranked 652nd in the world – are set to compete at the Coca-Cola Arena on 28 December.

Four-time Grand Slam champion Sabalenka is the reigning 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 been absent 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 rest assured, I'm prepared to bring my A-game," Sabalenka commented.

Historical Context of Gender Showdowns

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

US legend 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 35, under special rules.

"I have so much respect for Billie Jean King and what she has done for the women's game," Sabalenka continued. "It's an honor to represent women's tennis and to be part of this contemporary version of the iconic ‘Battle of the Sexes’ match."

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

"Being challenged by the top player, you answer the call. I've got massive respect for Aryna; she's a powerhouse and a genuine winner," he said. "But I've never backed down from a challenge, and I'm not just here to play, I'm here to thrill the crowd. This is what I live for."

Fun Spectacle or Damaging to Female Athletics? – Viewpoint

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

Some think it is a bit of harmless entertainment which will effectively draw the eyeballs 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 management which the players both share – and sets up an opportunity for female athletics to be belittled if Sabalenka is beaten by Kyrgios.

The fact that Kyrgios admitted to attacking an ex-girlfriend in 2023, then later had to distance himself from controversial influencer Andrew Tate in 2024, is a big reason why that camp believe this exhibition could unnecessarily fuel gender bias and misogyny.

Sabalenka does not seem to be overly concerned the event will have a negative impact on female athletics. Speaking about the possibility at the US Open, she said it was a "cool idea" and chuckled 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 fit for a considerable period.

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

At this point, details about the structure of the match are still scarce – although serving restrictions and potential court modifications are believed to have been considered.