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World No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka and 2022 Wimbledon finalist Nick Kyrgios announced on Tuesday that they will play 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 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.
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(Left) Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus in action against Polina Kudermetova of Russia in the second round of the 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 his match against James Duckworth of Australia and Aleksandar Vukic of Australia in the first round of men’s doubles at the 2025 Australian Open at Melbourne Park in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, on January 16, 2025. (Mike Frey/Image Images; Mike Frey/Imagn Images)
The modifications are that Kyrgios will only get one serve and that he will hit towards a smaller side of the court.
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.
Nick Kyrgios returns the ball to Grigor Dimitrov during a match on Day 3 of the World Tennis League at Coca-Cola Arena in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, on December 21, 2022. (AP Photo/Kamran Jebreili, File)
TENNIS STAR ARYNA SABALENKA ALMOST HIT THE BALL WITH A RACQUET THROW IN A FRUSTRATING LOSS
“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 players will also participate in an exhibition in New York on December 8, but not against each other: Sabalenka will play Naomi Osaka and Kyrgios will play Tommy Paul.
Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus returns a shot 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)
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.
