Kyrgios, who’s presently 671st within the males’s rankings, beat the four-time Grand Slam singles champion in straight units.
Revealed On 28 Dec 2025
Nick Kyrgios has crushed ladies’s world primary Aryna Sabalenka within the “Battle of the Sexes”, a highly-publicised showdown with modified guidelines that divided tennis followers.
Former Wimbledon finalist Kyrgios received 6-3, 6-3 in an exhibition match within the United Arab Emirates on Sunday that bore little resemblance to the era-defining 1973 encounter between Billie Jean King and Bobby Riggs.
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Again then, there was extra at stake, with the nascent ladies’s skilled tour, arrange by King, combating for its legitimacy and prize cash for feminine gamers nonetheless far decrease than it was for the lads.
King, one of many all-time greats of the ladies’s recreation who was on the peak of her powers at age 29, noticed off the 55-year-old Riggs, a high participant in his day, 6-4, 6-3, 6-3 in Houston, Texas within the US.
On Sunday in Dubai within the UAE, every participant acquired just one serve, and the size of Sabalenka’s aspect of the court docket had been 9 p.c smaller, in an try to limit Kyrgios’s energy and pace benefit.
Kyrgios has dropped to 671 within the rankings after taking part in simply six ATP matches over the previous three seasons, however the 30-year-old Australian nonetheless had sufficient to see off four-time Grand Slam singles champion Sabalenka, 27.
The maverick Australian was drenched in sweat and appeared out of breath within the second set after going 1-3 down, whereas his opponent danced to the music throughout a strategic trip. However he persevered to make it 3-3 after Belarusian Sabalenka despatched a shot lengthy.
Kyrgios, who shortened the factors with cheeky drop pictures and used variations on his serve to good impact, pulled away to seal the win on serve earlier than sharing a heat hug with Sabalenka on the web.
“Actually, it was a extremely robust match. She’s a hell of a competitor,” he stated.
“I needed to strap in as a result of she was placing the stress on, and finally, it was a extremely hard-fought battle.”
Sabalenka stated she would “love” a rematch.
“I felt nice. I placed on an important combat. He was struggling. He was getting drained. I used to be blissful to see that,” she stated.
“It was an important degree [of tennis]. I made a number of nice pictures. I actually loved the present. I really feel like subsequent time once I play him, I do know all his techniques and strengths.”
