The world number one women’s tennis player Aryna Sabalenka suffered a defeat in the exhibition “Battle of the Sexes” against Australian Nick Kyrgios. The exhibition contest concluded with a score of 6:3, 6:3 in favor of the athlete, who currently occupies only the 671st position in the official ATP rankings.
The meeting between the two competitors took place in Dubai. Sabalenka’s side of the court was scaled down, and the tennis players were permitted only one serve.
For the 27-year-old Belarusian tennis player, this game marked an infrequent loss during a successful season. In 2025, she achieved 63 victories against 12 defeats, secured four titles—including the US Open with a record prize fund—and reached the finals of the Australian Open and “Roland Garros.”
Her opponent, 30-year-old Nick Kyrgios, is a former star of world tennis. Three years prior, he was the Wimbledon-2022 finalist and a winner of seven ATP singles titles.
The “Battle of the Sexes” format was popularized back in 1973. The most emblematic and spectacular match was the encounter between Billie Jean King and Bobby Riggs.
Previously, Sabalenka noted that it is difficult for most Russian fans to accept tennis player Elena Rybakina competing under another country’s flag. With these remarks, the athlete reacted to her colleague’s victory at the WTA Finals in Riyadh in 2025.
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