Australia’s Nick Kyrgios beat women’s world number one Aryna Sabalenka 6-3, 6-3 in a “Battle of the Sexes” exhibition match in Dubai, an event widely criticised despite being marketed under the same banner as the 1973 Billie Jean King–Bobby Riggs clash.
Played before a sold-out Coca-Cola Arena crowd, the match used modified rules, including a single serve per point and a court 9 per cent smaller on Sabalenka’s side.
Kyrgios, now outside the ATP top 600 after limited play in recent years, was rarely threatened and looked exhausted afterward.
Kyrgios told the crowd: “That was a really hard battle, my serve was broken a few times. She’s a great competitor… it could have gone either way there.”
Sabalenka said the hit-out was useful preparation for the new season, calling it “a great test of my fitness” and adding, “I am pretty much ready for the season after this match.” The exhibition wrapped up in about 90 minutes.
Source: ABC.
