Posted: 2:22pm 29/12/2025
(Dubai Comprehensive News on the 29th) The controversial and concerned tennis world “battle of the sexes“Played on Sunday, the two sides were Belarusian women’s singles world No. 1Sabalenkaand Australia’s former Wimbledon men’s singles runner-upKyrgios。
Despite being in a “semi-retired” state, Kyrgios still defeated Sabalenka with two scores of 6-3 and won the battle of the sexes.
This game has special rules. Each player has only one chance to serve, and the second serve is cancelled. At the same time, the size of the court on Sabalenka’s side will be reduced by 9%. These adjustments are based on consideration of the speed differences between male and female players. Otherwise, this is a regular 3-set best-of-2 match. If there is a draw, the winner will be determined by a 10-point tiebreaker.
Kyrgios: The gap between men and women is getting smaller
After easily securing the victory, Kyrgios said: “This is a difficult match. Even top male players will find it difficult to hit some of the shots played by Sabalenka. The gap between male and female players is actually getting smaller and smaller. I am not surprised. We have trained together and her level is there. The victory of the game can go either way.”
“I was very nervous and had to calm myself down. I think this match is a good milestone for tennis.”
Sabalenka: I want revenge in the next match
Sabalenka said: “I am fully prepared for the Australian Open in January next year.”
She added: “I want to avenge Kyrgios in the next game.” She said confidently: “Now that I have a deeper understanding of his tactics, strengths and weaknesses, I believe I will do better next time.”
According to ESPN, the most expensive ticket for this game is close to US$800 (approximately RM3,200). The game attracted about 10,000 viewers, and the YouTube live broadcast had more than 5 million views.
Foreign media reported that the total revenue from this game is estimated to be approximately US$5 to US$7 million (including tickets, sponsorships such as Coca-Cola, and broadcast rights). Ticket revenue is about $2 million to $3 million, with the rest coming from sponsorships and live broadcasts. There are no official exact figures, but media say the event is very profitable and all proceeds from the game will be used for charity.
Foreign media criticized the competition as meaningless
However, ESPN criticized the game and said: “This game does not have any wider cultural significance. Sabalenka and Kyrgios are both employed by the agency that planned the game. They just want to hold a game to attract young viewers and make some money.”
The BBC also said: “The game did not achieve the intensity and excitement that people expected. As many expected, it ended up feeling like a slow-paced out-of-season friendly match.”
Billie Jean King defeated Riggs
This is the fourth time after Court (Australia) vs. Riggs (USA) in 1973, Billie Jean King (USA) vs. Riggs in the same year and Connors (USA) vs. Navratilova (USA) in 1992.Men’s and women’s tennis duel。
Among them, the only victory for a female player was the 1973 duel between Billie Jean King and Riggs. The result of that match made the US Open the first to achieve equal pay for equal work in all tennis events.
