Kyrgios, Sabalenka see only positives in ‘Battle of the Sexes’ tennis match after backlash
Pair defend exhibition in Dubai, saying “It was a great fight, it was interesting to watch and it brought more eyes on tennis”
Aryna Sabalenka and Nick Kyrgios defended their controversial “Battle of the Sexes” match and said they failed to understand why an exhibition aimed at showcasing tennis drew so much negativity from the tennis community.
Former Wimbledon finalist Kyrgios defeated world number one Sabalenka 6-3 6-3 at a packed Coca-Cola Arena in Dubai on Sunday despite several rule tweaks implemented by the organisers to level the playing field.
Both players were only allowed one serve and Sabalenka’s half of the court was nine per cent smaller in area than Kyrgios’.
Critics had warned that the match, a nod to the 1973 original “Battle of the Sexes” in which women’s trailblazer Billie Jean King beat then 55-year-old former grand slam winner Bobby Riggs, risked trivialising the women’s game.
King said Sunday’s encounter lacked the stakes of her match while others, including former doubles world number one Rennae Stubbs, said the event was a publicity stunt and money grab.
“I honestly don’t understand how people were able to find something negative in this event,” Sabalenka said.