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Top-ranked women’s player Aryna Sabalenka is set to face Australian maverick Nick Kyrgios in a ‘Battle of the Sexes’ exhibition match in Dubai on December 28. This match is a modern take on the iconic 1973 showdown between tennis legend Billie Jean King and fellow American Bobby Riggs, which was a pivotal moment for both tennis and the women’s movement. Played in Houston’s Astrodome, around 90 million viewers worldwide watched as King clinched a straight-sets victory, advancing the fight for equality in sports. At the time, 55-year-old Riggs had defeated Australia’s Margaret Court four months earlier, before 29-year-old King avenged the loss. In 1992, eight-time Grand Slam champion Jimmy Connors, aged 40, beat 18-time major winner Martina Navratilova, then 35, under modified rules. Four-time Grand Slam champion Sabalenka expressed her admiration for Billie Jean King and her contributions to women’s tennis. “I have so much respect for Billie Jean King and what she has done for the women’s game,” Sabalenka said in a statement. “I’m proud to represent women’s tennis and to be part of this modern take of the iconic Battle of the Sexes match.” Sabalenka and Kyrgios had hinted at the match over the past few months, with initial plans to hold it in Hong Kong. World number 652 Kyrgios, who has played just five matches this year following a serious wrist injury that sidelined him for 18 months, claimed in September that he could easily beat Sabalenka. When asked about Kyrgios’s comments during her run to the U.S. Open title, Sabalenka responded that she was eager to prove him wrong. “I have a lot of respect for Nick and his talent, but make no mistake, I’m ready to bring my A-game,” she said. Kyrgios, who reached a career-high singles ranking of 13 in 2016 and made it to the Wimbledon final in 2022, is a significant draw at Grand Slams due to his natural talent and unapologetic personality, which has also led to past controversies. The exhibition match will take place at the Coca-Cola Arena in Dubai.
