Top-ranked Aryna Sabalenka and Australian maverick Nick Kyrgios are set to face off in a headline-grabbing “Battle of the Sexes” exhibition in Dubai on December 28.
The showdown — inspired by Billie Jean King’s famous 1973 victory over Bobby Riggs — will take place indoors at the 17,000-seat Coca-Cola Arena. Both stars confirmed the match details on social media after months of speculation, with Kyrgios teasing that he’ll be limited to one serve and a smaller half of the court to even the odds.
Kyrgios, who has spent much of the past two years sidelined by injuries, said he’s thrilled to be back. “Honestly, I’m feeling amazing. I never thought I’d be back playing in front of fans again,” he wrote on Instagram.
Before Dubai, both will appear in a New York exhibition on December 8 — Sabalenka against Naomi Osaka and Kyrgios versus Tommy Paul.
Sabalenka enters the event as a four-time Grand Slam champion and current world No. 1, while Kyrgios remains one of tennis’s most unpredictable showmen, remembered for his 2022 Wimbledon final run against Novak Djokovic.
The Dubai match promises more than power and flair — it’s a playful revival of tennis history’s most symbolic rivalry.
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