Aryna Sabalenka and Nick Kyrgios have defended their controversial “Battle of the Sexes” match, expressing bafflement over the negative reactions from the tennis community towards an exhibition intended
to showcase the sport.
Despite several rule changes to balance the competition, former Wimbledon finalist Kyrgios triumphed over world number one Sabalenka 6-3, 6-3 at a packed Coca-Cola Arena on Sunday.
Critics cautioned that the match, reminiscent of the 1973 original “Battle of the Sexes” where women’s pioneer Billie Jean King defeated former Grand Slam winner Bobby Riggs, risked undermining women’s tennis.
King remarked that Sunday’s match lacked the significance of her 1973 encounter, while former doubles world number one Rennae Stubbs dismissed the event as a mere publicity stunt and money grab.
“I honestly don’t understand how people were able to find something negative in this event,” Sabalenka told reporters.
“I believe I demonstrated playing high-quality tennis for the WTA. It was an entertaining match, not one-sided. It was a great contest, engaging to watch, and it attracted more attention to tennis.
“Legends were watching; influential individuals messaged me, offering support and saying they would be watching. The aim was to promote our sport and showcase tennis in a different light, demonstrating that tennis events can be fun and almost as significant as Grand Slam matches.”
Kyrgios, once ranked 13th in the world but now at number 671 due to injuries, highlighted Sabalenka’s competitiveness.
“I want to remind everyone that I am one of the 16 players who have beaten the ‘Big Four’ – Andy Murray, Novak Djokovic, Roger Federer, and Rafa Nadal,” Kyrgios said.
“She proved she could compete against someone who has defeated the greatest of all time. There are only positives to take from this. Those who were negative still watched. This event has been the most discussed in sports over the past six months, considering our social media and news interactions.
“I’m certain that if we do it again, with both of us involved, it will become a cultural movement happening more frequently, marking a step in the right direction.”
With Reuters Inputs
