Gigi Salmon critical of 'Battle of the Sexes' clash between world No 1 Aryna Sabalenka and former Wimbledon finalist Nick Kyrgios

Gigi Salmon discusses the controversial 'Battle of the Sexes' clash between women's world No 1 Aryna Sabalenka and former Wimbledon finalist Nick Kyrgios in her latest Sky Sports column.

• What tennis is live on Sky Sports 🎾📺
• 'I need revenge' - Aryna Sabalenka wants Battle of the Sexes rematch
• Download the Sky Sports app for expert analysis, best video & more
• Not got Sky? Get Sky Sports or stream with no contract on NOW📺

A New Year but still the same subject up for discussion in the world of tennis, the recent 'Battle of the Sexes' between Aryna Sabalenka and Nick Kyrgios that took place in Dubai in December, which Kyrgios won in straight sets 6-3 6-3.

'What did you think of it, 'was it damaging for women's tennis,' 'will we see the likes of it again.' In short, my answer to those three questions that have come up a lot - pointless - not in the long term and hopefully not!

I thought it was done and in the past but this week with the children back at school, seeing people I haven't seen since before Christmas and knowing my line of work, I have had a fair few, 'Happy New Year and what did you think about the Battle of the Sexes,' all in one breath!

When I first heard about it, which was during the WTA Finals in Riyadh in November, my first thought was 'why is Sabalenka - the world No 1 doing it?' I couldn't see an upside for her and now it's done - I still can't!

She has money, fame, recognition and as the best player in the world on the women's tour surely you don't have anything to prove.

Kyrgios wants to stay relevant

For Kyrgios it was easier to see why he would agree, out of the spotlight and with just five matches to his name in 2025, with only one competitive match win since the end of 2022, largely due to injury and sitting at 671 in the world it was a chance to stay relevant.

There was also the fast approaching new season kicking off in his home country of Australia, with wild cards on offer, so suddenly appearing on late night talk shows in America and people are talking about him again!

By the start of December people were getting very excited about the meeting, the promotional circus was in full swing with the players appearing on Jimmy Fallon and Piers Morgan, which in itself is unheard of to promote what was essentially an exhibition.

This at a time when exhibitions were taking place all over the world with much bigger names involved than Kyrgios but all anybody wanted to talk about was their Dubai meeting, enticingly titled and wrongly so in my opinion, 'Battle of the Sexes'.

When Billie Jean King was asked if she saw any similarities between the upcoming cash and her original match of the same name in 1973, that stood for among other things social change she replied, 'the only similarity is that one is a boy and one is a girl, that's it'.

If it hadn't been given such an evocative title, how much publicity would it have received?

Yes it was the world No 1 against a former Wimbledon finalist and an undeniable talent in years gone by, but was it bigger than world No 1 Carlos Alcaraz taking to the court against Wimbledon and US Open finalist and world No 4 Amanda Anisimova in Miami at the start of December.

How about Sabalenka, Naomi Osaka, Tommy Paul and Kyrgios playing at Madison Square Gardens in December, both of which barely made a ripple outside of the tennis world, because they were billed simply as exhibitions, not man vs women or WTA vs ATP.

Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player

I should say at this point that both Sabalenka and Kyrgios are represented by the same management agency 'Evolve' and this particular event and the name to go with it was the brainchild of their joint manager Stuart Duguid.

Lose, lose for Sabalenka; Win, win for Kyrgios

The reason I called it pointless when asked for my thoughts on it, was I saw it as only lose, lose for Sabalenka, win the match and congratulations you've beaten the world No 671, who has hardly played in recent times, lose and 'oh dear the women's world No 1 has just lost to the world No 671, who only played five matches with one win all year'.

For Kyrgios it's win, win - lose and he says he wasn't meant to win he has hardly played, win which he did and look at me I've hardly played yet I've beaten the best women's player in the world.

While in the short-term women's tennis took a hit, with all those 'new' fans they wanted to bring into tennis wondering how does someone who has hardly played all year beat and beat convincingly the best player in women's tennis and what does that say about the women's game?

I think people will move on and be happy to do so. Women's tennis rightly led by Sabalenka is in a great place right now, so while people may question her motives, I don't believe that any major harm has been done.

'Tennis needs Nick Kyrgios'

Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player

Why I hope we won't see another incarnation of 'Battle of the Sexes' anytime soon, is because we don't need one, we didn't need that one and hopefully those who watched it, viewed it as what it was and enjoyed it for what it was, entertainment, not proper tennis, no meaning attached to it, just fun!

I will leave you with something a colleague of mine said to me this week when we were discussing 'Battle of the Sexes,' and I would love to know your thoughts...

I said that I couldn't see another match under this particular heading happening in the near future as I wasn't sure and I couldn't think of anyone else on the ATP tour that would put themselves forward for something like this, to which the reply came, 'I think tennis needs Nick Kyrgios.'

Not a statement I agree with, certainly one to get people talking and with how things have gone and with Kyrgios stepping forward to play in this match maybe the tables have turned and after saying 10 years ago, 'I don't really like the sport of tennis that much,' maybe now it's Kyrgios who needs tennis!

Watch the ATP and WTA Tours, live on Sky Sports or stream with NOW and the Sky Sports app, giving Sky Sports customers access to over 50 per cent more live sport this year at no extra cost. Find out more here.