综合一区欧美国产,99国产麻豆免费精品,九九精品黄色录像,亚洲激情青青草,久久亚洲熟妇熟,中文字幕av在线播放,国产一区二区卡,九九久久国产精品,久久精品视频免费

Global EditionASIA 中文雙語Fran?ais
Sports
Home / Sports / Tennis

Kyrgios prevails in 'Battle of the Sexes'

Controversial Australian beats Sabalenka in straight sets, but admits it was a 'tough match'

Updated: 2025-12-30 08:57
Share
Share - WeChat
Sabalenka, her goddaughter Nicole and Kyrgios pose with trophies at the end of the match on Sunday. [Photo/Agencies]

Nick Kyrgios beat Aryna Sabalenka 6-3, 6-3 on Sunday in a "Battle of the Sexes" exhibition match, billed as a modern take on Billie Jean King's famous win over Bobby Riggs 52 years ago, but one that ignited controversy over its relevance and meaning.

The clash between four-time Grand Slam champion Sabalenka and former world No 13 Kyrgios was billed as entertainment, but critics warned that it risked reducing women's tennis to a sideshow and trivializing its progress toward equality.

The match that gave the event its name was the 1973 "Battle of the Sexes", when women's tennis pioneer King beat 55-year-old former Grand Slam winner Riggs, who had said that the standard of women's tennis could never match that of the men's game.

King told the BBC that although this year's clash carried the same tagline, it lacked the stakes of her showdown with Riggs, a contest she described as a fight for social change in a vastly different cultural era.

"I don't think many people would have put their hand up to be in this position, especially in my position,"Kyrgios said.

"Obviously, Aryna was up for the challenge.

"The scoreline was closer than it was. I was under the pump there ...and then anything happens once the crowd gets behind it.

"I was nervous."

Playing in front of a sold-out crowd at Dubai's Coca-Cola Arena, Kyrgios negotiated the slightly smaller "equalizer" court on women's world No 1 Sabalenka's side to secure victory after an entertaining contest played under modified rules.

On Sunday, each player received only one serve and the dimensions of Sabalenka's side of the court were nine percent smaller, in an attempt to restrict Kyrgios' power and speed advantage.

Critics questioned the motive behind the event, organized by the agency that manages the careers of both players, beyond the broadcast ratings and money generated.

The suitability of Kyrgios — who admitted assaulting an ex-girlfriend in 2021 and has had to distance himself from misogynistic remarks in the past — for the men's role in the act also stirred debate.

Kyrgios, the 2022 Wimbledon runner-up, has dropped to 671 in the rankings after playing just six tour-level matches over the past three seasons, but the 30-year-old Australian still had enough to see off his Belarusian opponent.

"Obviously, she's a multiple Grand Slam champion. And I didn't really know what to expect," said Kyrgios.

"Honestly, it was a really tough match. She is a hell of a player and such a great champion.

"She broke my serve numerous times, and I had to strap in.

"Honestly, I would love to play her again and showcase her talent and what I have left in the tank. Ultimately, it was a really hard-fought battle and there were breaks back and forth."

With a one-serve-per-point rule in effect, both players faltered on their deliveries in crucial moments before Kyrgios broke for a 4-3 lead and went on to take the opening set.

The maverick Australian was drenched in sweat and appeared out of breath in the second set after going 1-3 down, while his opponent danced to the music during a strategic timeout, but he persevered to make it 3-3 after Sabalenka sent a shot long.

Unlike Riggs, who had long retired from the men's tour when he took on fellow American King, Kyrgios is an active player on the ATP Tour, even though his recent seasons have been blighted by a succession of wrist and knee injuries.

The former Wimbledon runner-up, a major draw on and off the court with his natural talent and charisma, managed only five professional singles matches in 2025.

1 2 Next   >>|

Most Popular

Highlights

What's Hot
Top
BACK TO THE TOP
English
Copyright 1994 - . All rights reserved. The content (including but not limited to text, photo, multimedia information, etc) published in this site belongs to China Daily Information Co (CDIC). Without written authorization from CDIC, such content shall not be republished or used in any form. Note: Browsers with 1024*768 or higher resolution are suggested for this site.
License for publishing multimedia online 0108263

Registration Number: 130349
FOLLOW US
三明市| 湖口县| 峨边| 开化县| 策勒县| 公安县| 博乐市| 东乡| 天津市| 师宗县| 龙川县| 福贡县| 长子县| 鄂托克旗| 大厂| 罗平县| 巩义市| 丰镇市| 巩留县| 桂东县| 瓦房店市| 两当县| 小金县| 卫辉市| 大荔县| 开化县| 浦北县| 沁源县| 芮城县| 蓬溪县| 万全县| 锡林浩特市| 墨江| 宜城市| 麻江县| 武功县| 涿鹿县| 南木林县| 蓝田县| 乳山市| 林西县|