🔗 Share this article Aryna Sabalenka Ready to Take On Kyrgios in Modern Gender Showdown Match The top-ranked female player and the Australian star will meet at the 17,000-capacity Coca-Cola Arena. World number one Aryna Sabalenka will face Nick Kyrgios in a cross-gender exhibition match in the UAE in December. The Belarusian Sabalenka, twenty-seven, and 30-year-old Aussie Kyrgios – ranked 652nd in the world – are scheduled to play each other at the Coca-Cola Arena on 28 December. Four-time Grand Slam winner Sabalenka is the current Wimbledon and US Open champion. Kyrgios, who reached a career-high 13th in 2016, has participated in just five games this year since returning from a significant wrist injury that kept him out for a year and a half. He has not played on the ATP Tour since exiting in the Miami Open early stage in March. "I have a lot of respect for Nick and his skill, but make no mistake, I'm ready to bring my best performance," Sabalenka commented. Historical Background of Gender Showdowns Three official matches labeled as the ‘Battle of the Sexes’ have occurred – most notably between Billie Jean King and Bobby Riggs in 1973. US legend Riggs had beaten Australia's Margaret Court before King exacted revenge four months later. In 1992, a forty-year-old Jimmy Connors beat fellow multiple Grand Slam champion Martina Navratilova, then 35, under hybrid rules. "I have so much respect for Billie Jean King and what she has done for the female tennis," Sabalenka continued. "It's an honor to represent women's tennis and to be part of this modern take of the iconic ‘Battle of the Sexes’ match." Kyrgios, who reached the 2022 Wimbledon final, expressed he will enjoy the chance to play against Sabalenka, with whom he has the same representative. "Being challenged by the top player, you step up to the plate. I've got great admiration for Aryna; she's a powerhouse and a genuine winner," he remarked. "However I've never backed down from a challenge, and I'm not just here to play, I'm here to entertain. This is what I thrive on." Harmless Entertainment or Damaging to Women's Sport? – Viewpoint Followers of the sport have been divided into two camps since talk of this exhibition began at the US Open in September. Certain individuals believe it is a bit of harmless entertainment which will effectively draw the attention of a newer, younger audience in the age of social-media content. Another group feels it is a ill-advised project – organized by the Evolve management which the players both share – and creates an opportunity for female athletics to be undermined if Sabalenka is beaten by Kyrgios. The fact that Kyrgios pleaded guilty to assaulting an ex-girlfriend in 2023, then later had to distance himself from controversial influencer Andrew Tate in 2024, is a key factor why that camp believe this exhibition could unnecessarily fuel sexism and anti-women sentiment. Sabalenka does not seem to be too worried the event will have a detrimental effect on female athletics. Speaking about the possibility at the US Open, she said it was a "interesting concept" and laughed as she vowed to "kick Nick's ass". It is hard, however, to see what she gains from the event – especially if she loses to a man who has not been in top form for a long time. For Kyrgios, he manages to stay relevant despite his ongoing break from the tour and constantly in the public eye which he has consistently shown he loves to be in. At this point, details about the structure of the match are still limited – although serving restrictions and potential adjustments to the court are believed to have been discussed.