Nick Kyrgios has defeated Aryna Sabalenka in the third Battle of the Sexes, 6-3, 6-3. The heavily publicised match, organised by the sports agency Evolve that represents both players, and held in Dubai, ended with Kyrgios, currently ranked 672 in the world in ATP rankings, defeating World No. 1 in WTA Aryna Sabalenka.
The match had special rules, with Sabalenka's side being 9% smaller than Kyrgios' side, to account to physical differences between men and women (Evolve said that female players move about 9% slower on average).
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Each player only had one serve instead of two, which could have benefitted Sabalenka, given the court difference, but still Kyrgios, who has been absent most of the 2025 season due to injuries (his last singles match was at the Miami Open in March, and his last doubles match with Monfils was at the Washington Open in July), still dominated over Sabalenka, winner of four titles including the US Open this year.
What were the results of the previois Battle of the Sexes?
This match was labelled as the fourth in a series of exhibition matches between a man and a woman. The first ones took place in 1973. First, Margaret Court, 30 years old, lost to 6-2, 6-1 to retired 55-year-old Bobby Riggs. Four months later, 29-yeasr-old Billie Jean King famously defeated Riggs in three straight sets 6-4, 6-3, 6-3.
That match between King and Riggs had a huge audience (estimated 90 million people worldwide) profound effect on women's tennis and the women's rights momements. King, who founded the Women's Tennis Association (WTA) that same year, said that their match was "about social change", criticising Sabalenka's match. In 1992, a third Battle of the Sexes happened with Jimmy Connors defeating Martina Navratilova 7-5, 6-2.