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World number one Aryna Sabalenka will face Nick Kyrgios in a ‘Battle of the Sexes’ event in the UAE in December.

The Belarusian Sabalenka, 27, and 30-year-old Aussie Kyrgios – ranked 652nd in the world – are scheduled to compete at the Coca-Cola Arena on 28 December.

Four-time Grand Slam champion Sabalenka is the reigning Wimbledon and US Open champion.

Kyrgios, who peaked at world number 13 in 2016, has only played five matches this year since recovering from a significant wrist injury that sidelined him for a year and a half.

He has not played on the ATP Tour since losing in the Miami Open second round in March.

"I greatly admire Nick and his skill, but rest assured, I'm ready to bring my A-game," Sabalenka said.

Past Background of Gender Showdowns

A trio of recognized contests labeled as the ‘Battle of the Sexes’ have taken place – most notably between Billie Jean King and Bobby Riggs in 1973.

American veteran Riggs had defeated Australia's Margaret Court before King exacted revenge a few months after.

In 1992, a 40-year-old Jimmy Connors beat fellow multi-time Grand Slam champion Martina Navratilova, then thirty-five, under special rules.

"I deeply admire Billie Jean King and what she has done for the female tennis," Sabalenka continued. "It's an honor to stand for women's tennis and to be part of this modern take of the legendary ‘Battle of the Sexes’ match."

Kyrgios, who made it to the 2022 Wimbledon final, expressed he will relish 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 force and a true champion," he remarked. "But I've never backed down from a challenge, and I'm not just here to play, I'm here to thrill the crowd. This is what I live for."

Harmless Entertainment or Damaging to Female Athletics? – Analysis

Tennis fans have been split into two camps since talk of this exhibition started at the US Open in September.

Some think it is a bit of harmless entertainment which will effectively draw the eyeballs of a newer, younger audience in the age of digital media.

Another group feels it is a ill-advised project – organized by the Evolve agency which the players both share – and sets up an opportunity for women's sport to be undermined if Sabalenka is defeated by Kyrgios.

The fact that Kyrgios admitted to attacking an ex-girlfriend in 2023, then later had to distance himself from divisive figure Andrew Tate in 2024, is a big reason why that camp believe this exhibition could provoke gender bias and anti-women sentiment.

Sabalenka does not seem to be too worried the event will have a detrimental effect on women's sports. Speaking about the possibility at the US Open, she said it was a "cool idea" and laughed as she pledged to "defeat Nick convincingly".

It is hard, however, to see what she benefits from the event – especially if she is defeated to a man who has not been in top form for a long time.

For Kyrgios, he manages to stay relevant despite his continued absence from the tour and constantly in the public eye which he has consistently shown he loves to be in.

At this point, specifics about the format of the match are still scarce – although serving restrictions and potential court modifications are believed to have been discussed.