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Ahead of their Battle of the Sexes tennis match later this month, Aryna Sabalenka and Nick Kyrgios said they don’t believe trans athletes should compete against biological women.
The tennis stars are playing an exhibition match that will feature modifications in which Kyrgios will only get one serve and hit to a smaller side of the court.
The edits make sense, given Sabalenka’s thoughts on women taking on biological men in sports.
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Aryna Sabalenka reacts in the women’s singles final against Amanda Anisimova (USA) (not pictured) of the 2025 US Open tennis championships at the Billie Jean King National Tennis Center. (Mike Frey/Image Images)
“I have nothing against them, but I feel like they still have a big advantage over women,” Sabalenka told Piers Morgan on Tuesday. “I think it’s not fair for women to basically go up against biological men. It’s not fair. Women work their whole lives to reach their limit, and then they have to go up against a man, who is biologically much stronger. So, for me, I don’t agree with this kind of thing in sports.”
Kyrgios added that he felt “exactly the same.”
Sabalenka’s thoughts echo those of tennis legend Martina Navratilova, who, despite numerous criticisms of President Donald Trump and the Republican Party, has maintained her stance that girls and women should not face biological men.
The name of the Sabalenka-Kyrgios exhibition was taken from the 1973 match between Billie Jean King and Bobby Riggs, which King won in straight sets at the Houston Astrodome.
Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus reacts against Amanda Anisimova of the United States during the women’s final of the US Open tennis championship, Saturday, Sept. 6, 2025, in New York. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura)
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Since the end of the 2022 tennis season, Kyrgios has played in only five events, largely due to injuries: one in 2023 and four in 2025. Since then, he has made a name for himself in the broadcast booth.
“I can’t wait to get back on the court,” Kyrgios said in an Instagram story. “Honestly, I feel amazing. I never thought I would be in this position again, being able to travel the world, see my fans and play amazing tennis.”
Due to his lack of play, Kyrgios, who was once ranked 13th, is currently ranked 652nd.
Both Sabalenka and Kyrgios played exhibition matches in New York earlier this week. Sabalenka faced Naomi Osaka, while Kyrgios faced Tommy Paul.
(Images by Susan Mullane-Imagn)
Sabalenka is a four-time Grand Slam champion, including each of the last two US Opens. He also reached the finals of this year’s Australian and French Opens.
