Nick Kyrgios played Aryna Sabalenka in a “Battle of the Sexes” show match. However, many tennis fans disliked the setup.
First, Kyrgios beat Sabalenka 6–3, 6–3 on Sunday, 28 December. He is now ranked 671 after two years injured. Also, both players could use only one serve, not two.
Next, organizers made Sabalenka’s side of the court nine percent smaller. They did this because men usually hit faster shots. During the match in Dubai’s Coca-Cola Arena, they laughed and joked a lot.
However, many viewers criticized the rules and court size online. Some said Kyrgios did not play at full effort and still won. Kyrgios called it a tough match and praised Sabalenka’s competitive spirit.
Does Sabalenka even realize how stupid this makes her look? Battle of the Sexes… girl, so embarrassing pic.twitter.com/nJ6uNHDiKp
— ˙⬦ (@quantumgenesys) December 28, 2025
Finally, Sabalenka said she enjoyed the show and would play him again. She added that she learned his tactics and expects a better match next time.