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World number one Aryna Sabalenka and 2022 Wimbledon finalist Nick Kyrgios announced on Tuesday that they will participate in a “Battle of the Sexes” tennis match next month.
The two tennis stars will face off in a modified exhibition on December 28 in Dubai in front of 17,000 fans at the Coca-Cola Arena.
The Sabalenka-Kyrgios exhibition name was borrowed from the 1973 match between Billie Jean King and Bobby Riggs, which King won in straight sets at the Houston Astrodome.
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(Left) Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus in action against Polina Kudermetova of Russia in the second round of women’s singles at the US Open at Arthur Ashe Stadium at the Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in Flushing, New York on August 27, 2025. (Right) Nick Kyrgios of Australia plays during her match against James Duckworth of Australia and Aleksandar Vukic of Australia in the first round of the men’s doubles at the 2025 Australian Open at Melbourne Park in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia on January 16, 2025. (Mike Frey/Imagn Images; Mike Frey/Imagn Images)
The changes are that Kyrgios will only get one serve and he will hit towards a smaller side of the court.
Since the end of the 2022 tennis season, Kyrgios has only played five events, largely due to injuries – one in 2023 and four in 2025. He has since made a name for himself in the broadcast booth.
Nick Kyrgios returns the ball to Grigor Dimitrov during a match on day three of the World Tennis League at the Coca-Cola Arena in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, December 21, 2022. (AP Photo/Kamran Jebreili, file)
TENNIS STAR ARYNA SABALENKA ALMOST HITS BALLBOY WITH RACKET THROW IN FRUSTRATING LOSS
“I can’t wait to get back on the pitch,” Kyrgios said in an Instagram story. “Honestly, I feel amazing. I never thought I would get back to this position, being able to travel the world, see my fans and play incredible tennis.”
Due to his lack of play, Kyrgios, who was once ranked 13th, is currently ranked 652nd.
The two players will also participate in an exhibition in New York on December 8, but not against each other: Sabalenka will face Naomi Osaka and Kyrgios will face Tommy Paul.
Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus returns a shot against Amanda Anisimova of the United States during the women’s final of the U.S. Open tennis championships, Saturday, September 6, 2025, in New York. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura)
Sabalenka is a four-time Grand Slam champion, including each of the last two US Opens. She also reached the final of the Australian and French Opens this year.
