Aryna Sabalenka and Nick Kyrgios will compete in a “Battle of the Sexes” match in a few days time. The event is organized by their management agency, Evolve. The exhibition match sparked discussion among fans and critics alike, including Emma Raducanu’s former coach, Mark Petchey, who described it as “pointless.”
Mark Petchey Makes His Feelings Known on Aryna Sabalenka and Nick Kyrgios’ ‘Battle of the Sexes’ Match
Sabalenka and Kyrgios’ “Battle of the Sexes” match is scheduled to take place on Dec. 28, 2025, at the Coca-Cola Arena in Dubai and will be broadcast live on the BBC. The match will be similar to the iconic “Battle of the Sexes” contest between Billie Jean King and Bobby Riggs, which took place at the Houston Astrodome in September 1973.
The event will feature modified rules, with Evolve announcing that the side of the court Sabalenka will defend will be 9% smaller than standard, and both players will be allowed only one serve each when starting points.
Recently, Petchey took to social media and expressed that he believes Sabalenka and Kyrgios’ exhibition match won’t harm tennis and that, in his view, it is “pointless” in its current format. The Brit pointed out that the only potential benefit of the match might be attracting non-tennis fans to watch and engage with the sport.
“The Battle of Sexes won’t do any damage to tennis. The Battle of the Sexes is also pointless in its current format. But if non-tennis fans watch and get involved in watching/playing tennis because of it, then it did the only thing it can,” Petchey posted on X.
In addition to Petchey, Ben Shelton, Garbiñe Muguruza, renowned tennis coach Patrick Mouratoglou, and former American tennis player Steve Johnson have also shared their thoughts on the “Battle of the Sexes” match between Sabalenka and Kyrgios.
What Did Billie Jean King Say About Sabalenka and Kyrgios’ ‘Battle of the Sexes’ Match?
Earlier this month, Billie Jean King shared her thoughts on the upcoming “Battle of the Sexes” match between Aryna Sabalenka and Nick Kyrgios during an interview with the BBC. She stated that her match against Riggs and the upcoming match differ significantly in purpose. King mentioned that her match was about “social change,” and she played on a court without making any modifications to it.
“The only similarity is that one is a boy and one is a girl. That’s it. Everything else, no. Ours was about social change, culturally, where we were in 1973. This one is not. I played on a court and didn’t change anything. I said, ‘Look, I play straight up, or else I’m not going to play.’ And Bobby loved it,” King said.
King described her match as “political” and “rough,” expressing that she knew she had to defeat Riggs to foster “societal change.”
“Mine was really political. It was rough, culturally, what was coming in with it. I knew I had to beat him for societal change. I had a lot of reasons to win. They are there to have fun and bring great tennis,” she added.
Looking ahead, Sabalenka and Kyrgios are set to begin their 2026 seasons at the Brisbane International, which will take place from Jan. 4 to Jan. 11, 2026. The matches of the tournament will be held on outdoor hard courts at the Queensland Tennis Centre in Brisbane, Queensland, Australia.
