🔗 Share this article Aryna Sabalenka Ready to Take On Kyrgios in Modern ‘Battle of the Sexes’ Exhibition Aryna Sabalenka and Nick Kyrgios will compete at the 17,000-capacity Coca-Cola Arena. Top-ranked Aryna Sabalenka will take on Nick Kyrgios in a cross-gender exhibition match in the United Arab Emirates later this year. Belarus' Sabalenka, 27, and 30-year-old Aussie Kyrgios – ranked 652nd in the world – are set to compete at the Dubai venue on 28 December. Four-time Grand Slam champion Sabalenka is the reigning Wimbledon and US Open champion. Kyrgios, who peaked at world number 13 in 2016, has participated in just five games this year since recovering from a serious wrist injury that kept him out for a year and a half. He has been absent on the ATP Tour since losing in the Miami Open early stage in March. "I greatly admire Nick and his talent, but rest assured, I'm ready to bring my best performance," Sabalenka stated. Past 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. American veteran Riggs had beaten Australia's Margaret Court before King got payback four months later. In 1992, a forty-year-old Jimmy Connors beat fellow multiple Grand Slam champion Martina Navratilova, then thirty-five, under special rules. "I have so much respect for 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 modern take of the iconic ‘Battle of the Sexes’ match." Kyrgios, who made it to the 2022 Wimbledon final, said he will relish the chance to play against Sabalenka, with whom he has the same representative. "Being challenged by the top player, you step up to the plate. I've got massive respect for Aryna; she's a force and a true champion," he said. "However 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 Women's Sport? – Viewpoint Followers of the sport have been split into opposing sides since rumblings of this exhibition began at the US Open in September. Some think it is a bit of harmless entertainment which will successfully attract the attention of a newer, younger audience 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 sets up an opportunity for female athletics to be undermined if Sabalenka is defeated by Kyrgios. The fact that Kyrgios admitted to assaulting an former partner in 2023, then later had to separate himself from divisive figure Andrew Tate in 2024, is a big reason why that camp believe this exhibition could provoke gender bias and misogyny. Sabalenka does not seem to be too worried the event will have a detrimental effect on female athletics. Speaking about the idea at the US Open, she said it was a "interesting concept" and chuckled as she vowed 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 long time. For Kyrgios, he remains in the spotlight despite his continued absence from the tour and constantly in the public eye which he has consistently shown he loves to be in. At this stage, specifics about the structure of the match are still limited – although serving restrictions and potential court modifications are believed to have been discussed.