It was one of the most publicized tennis matches of the 20the century. On September 20, 1973, American Billie Jean King, 29, won the “battle of the sexes” against her compatriot Bobby Riggs, 55. By beating the former world number 1, self-proclaimed macho, the player not only pocketed the $100,000 promised to the winner; Above all, it lowered a symbolic barrier for women in sport. Half a century later, the company TLive is claiming this heritage with an exhibition, organized on Sunday December 28 in Dubai, between the current world number 1, the Belarusian Aryna Sabalenka, and the Australian Nick Kyrgios. Absent from the international circuit since March due to repeated injuries, the whimsical player, now 673e world, was included in the 13the world ranking in 2022.
If the promoter is banking on the appeal of the “battle of the sexes” formula – notably declined in film, in 2017 –, this 2025 edition assumes not to have the same stakes as the original confrontation. The meeting between Bobby Riggs and Billie Jean King “is a historic moment, but, for our part, we do it more for fun”explained Aryna Sabalenka in mid-December, on the set of Tonight Show from host Jimmy Fallon. “We are just two good friends who want to put on a great show and bring more attention to tennis”added Nick Kyrgios in an Instagram story at the beginning of the month.
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