The time for the verdict has come. Nick Kyrgios won the exhibition match, billed as a new episode of the “Battle of the Sexes”, against Aryna Sabalenka on Sunday in Dubai. The rules had been modified to balance the debates, the Australian playing on a field 9% larger than the Belarusian, which immediately made any interpretation of the result difficult. Furthermore, the two opponents only had one serving ball.
Kyrgios, a former Wimbledon finalist (2022) who fell beyond 650th place in the world and is preparing to make yet another return to the circuit at age 30, won 6-3, 6-3, against the world No.1 without running much or hitting the ball very hard, without us knowing if it was because the court opposite was smaller or for other reasons.
The title of the event referred to another “Battle of the Sexes”, which in 1973 pitted former American champion Bobby Riggs, then aged 55, against the two best players of the time, Margaret Court Smith and then Billie Jean King.
17,000 spectators present
At that time, it was about women asserting their worth while their professional circuit was being organized and King’s victory over Riggs, who had initially dominated Court Smith, had a certain impact. Nothing like this this time because women’s tennis is firmly established, as shown, among other things, by the equality of winnings in major tournaments.
The remake still attracted 17,000 spectators in Dubai, including celebrities like Brazilian footballer Ronaldo, who did not attend a major tennis match. Nick Kyrgios seemed to control the situation and allowed himself some fantasies like a spoon serve (winner), a weapon he had already used in serious matches.
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