The war of words between Aryna Sabalenka and Nick Kyrgios is heating up long before their “Battle of the Sexes” exhibition match. After weeks of back-and-forth, the world No. 1 women’s player sent a direct, confident warning to her Australian opponent, promising a fight when they meet on the court.
What Did Aryna Sabalenka Say to Nick Kyrgios?
The highly anticipated exhibition match between Sabalenka and Kyrgios is scheduled for the first week of January 2026 in Hong Kong, serving as a lead-up to the Australian Open. The contest will bring back memories of the famous 1973 “Battle of the Sexes” between Billie Jean King and Bobby Riggs. To level the playing field, the match will feature special rules: Kyrgios will only get one serve per point instead of two, and his target court area will be smaller than Sabalenka’s.
Speaking on the “Jay Shetty Podcast,” Sabalenka did not hold back when discussing the Australian player.
“I think it’s fun and it’s cool to see and it’s interesting for me to play against the man and I’m ready to kick his ass,” she said with a smile. The Belarusian star then ramped up the pressure on her opponent. “I’m putting a lot of pressure on him right now. So, I hope he’s going to just withdraw from feeling all of the pressure.”
Looking directly at the camera, Sabalenka issued a final threat. “Well, Nick, you got to be ready, you better be ready. And yeah, I’m going to kick your ass now.” She then added a lighthearted jab, saying, “I think the ATP going to cancel the battle.”
These comments came in direct response to Kyrgios’s earlier claims that he could easily defeat the top women’s player in the world. The Australian had boldly predicted a 6-2 victory, stating he wouldn’t need to give 100 percent effort to win.
While Sabalenka is at the peak of her career, Kyrgios has faced significant injury challenges recently. The 30-year-old has played just five singles matches this season and has not competed since a loss to Karen Khachanov at the Miami Open in March. Kyrgios has been dealing with wrist problems since 2023, which required reconstructive surgery.
In contrast, the 27-year-old Sabalenka is enjoying a dominant run. She won the 2025 US Open and is poised to end the year as the world No. 1. Her 2025 season included appearances in multiple Grand Slam finals, and she currently leads both the WTA rankings and the Race to Riyadh.
What Is the History of ‘Battle of the Sexes’ Matches?
Tennis history includes several famous “Battle of the Sexes” matches. The most iconic occurred on Sept. 20, 1973, when Billie Jean King defeated Bobby Riggs 6-4, 6-3, 6-3 at the Houston Astrodome. The match was a cultural phenomenon, drawing over 50 million viewers in the United States and 90 million worldwide, marking a major milestone for women’s tennis.
However, that wasn’t the first time Riggs had participated in such a showdown. Earlier that year, on May 13, 1973, Riggs defeated Margaret Court 6-2, 6-1 in an event dubbed the “Mother’s Day Massacre.” At the time, Court was the world No. 1 and had won three Grand Slam tournaments that year.
🇦🇺🇧🇾👇 Nick Kyrgios confirms that he will play a ‘Battle of the Sexes’ match against Aryna Sabalenka, during the first week of January:
“I’m very excited about that match, she has a great personality and she’s a great tennis player.
“I find it funny that, really, she thinks… pic.twitter.com/blPiKpxUr4
— Olly Tennis 🎾🇬🇧 (@Olly_Tennis_) September 2, 2025
Another notable match took place on Sept. 25, 1992, when Jimmy Connors beat Martina Navratilova 7-5, 6-2 in Las Vegas. That event, called the “Battle of Champions,” also had modified rules: Connors had only one serve, while Navratilova could hit into half of the doubles alley.
With both players already trading verbal jabs months before they take the court, their exhibition match promises to be an entertaining spectacle. Now, fans will have to wait and see if Sabalenka can back up her bold words against the ever-confident Australian.
