Battle of the Sexes: Nick Kyrgios beats Aryna Sabalenka in special tennis exhibition match in Dubai

Nick Kyrgios came out on top in the latest 'Battle of the Sexes' exhibition match with a straight-sets victory over women's world No 1 Aryna Sabalenka in Dubai.

Sabalenka's side of the court was reduced in size by nine per cent for the three-set contest, with the modified rules also seeing both players restricted to one serve for each point rather than the usual two.

A 10-point deciding tie-break would have been implemented if required, but Kyrgios - who has played just five singles matches this year because of injuries - needed around 70 minutes to see off Sabalenka 6-3 6-3.

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The made-for-TV clash saw laughing and joking between the players, some under-arm serves from Kyrgios and even some dancing from Sabalenka during a timeout to entertain the crowd.

Sabalenka walked out to 'Eye of the Tiger' and had the early backing from the crowd compared to Kyrgios, who negotiated the slightly smaller "equaliser" court to break his opponent to love in the third game.

The next four games went against serve before Kyrgios held to love to move 5-3 ahead, where he broke Sabalenka again on his way to closing out the opening set.

Sabalenka threatened to force a comeback when she won three consecutive games to go 3-1 up in the second set, where she used her 60-second timeout to dance to the Macarena, before Kyrgios won the next five games and clinched victory off his third match point.

The match at the Coca-Cola Arena had drawn comparisons with one of the most famous tennis contests in history, when Billie Jean King defeated Bobby Riggs at the Houston Astrodome in 1973.

That exhibition followed Riggs beating Margaret Court earlier that year, while other contests dubbed 'Battle of the Sexes' include Jimmy Connors defeating Martina Navratilova in 1992.

Kyrgios: It could have gone either way!

Kyrgios has dropped to world No 673 and hasn't featured on the ATP Tour since March because of injuries, with the Australian admitting that the score line of his winning comeback could have been closer.

"Honestly, it was a really tough match," Kyrgios said. "She's a hell of a competitor and such a great champion. Obviously, she's a multiple Grand Slam champion.

"I didn't really know what to expect. She broke my serve numerous times. Honestly, I had to strap in because she was putting the pressure on. She was hitting some amazing shots.

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

"I wouldn't call myself the champion tonight - seeing someone as great as Aryna out here and myself, I think it truly was a spectacle. I think this is a great stepping stone forward for the sport of tennis.

"Of course, I was nervous. I don't think many people would have put their hand up to be in this position, especially in my position. Aryna was up for the challenge and the scoreline was closer than it was."

Sabalenka takes positives from straight-sets loss

Sabalenka won the US Open in August and reached the semi-finals or better in all four Grand Slam tournaments in 2025, with the Belarusian keen to take positives from her loss into the new season.

"I felt great. I think I put up a great fight and he was struggling. I think it was a great level. I made a lot of great shots, moved a lot to the net, had great drop shots.

"I really enjoyed the show and I feel like next time - when I play him - I already know the tactics. I know his strengths, his weaknesses and it's going to be a better match for sure.

"I love to challenge myself and I would love to play again. The court is different - I had to do a couple adjustments. Obviously playing against a guy is completely different tennis and everything is much faster. It was great fitness for me today."

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