Current Status (as of December 28, 2025): The highly anticipated “Battle of the Sexes” exhibition match between Australian showman Nick Kyrgios and women’s world No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka is scheduled to begin today at the Coca-Cola Arena in Dubai.
- Start Time: 7:45 PM local time (Dubai) / 3:45 PM GMT / 11:45 AM ET / 8:45 AM PT / 2:45 AM AEDT (December 29).
- Format: Best-of-three sets, with a 10-point tiebreak if needed for a decider.
- Special Rules:
- Only one serve per point for both players (to reduce Kyrgios’ serve advantage).
- Sabalenka’s side of the court is 9% smaller (based on average movement speed differences between men and women).
- Venue: Coca-Cola Arena, Dubai (capacity ~17,000 – expect a packed, entertaining crowd).
- Broadcast: Live on BBC One (UK from 3:45 PM GMT), Tennis Channel/T2 (US), Stan Sport (Australia), and various international streams.
Pre-Match Buzz
This modern revival of the iconic 1973 Billie Jean King vs Bobby Riggs matchup has divided opinions – some see it as fun entertainment to grow the sport, others criticize it as undermining women’s tennis or trivializing gender debates.
- Sabalenka (27, Belarusian, 4x Grand Slam champ including 2025 US Open): In peak form, confident she’ll “kick his ass” despite the unknown.
- Kyrgios (30, Australian, ranked ~671 due to injuries): Played only 5 matches in 2025 but vows to entertain; targeting full ATP return in 2026.
Both are represented by the same agency (Evolve), emphasizing showmanship over pure competition.
The match hasn’t started yet – stay tuned for live score updates as play begins! Expect power, trash talk, and spectacle.
(If you’re watching, who do you think wins? Kyrgios’ flair or Sabalenka’s dominance?)
By Mark Smith
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