'Battle of the Sexes': Aryna Sabalenka and Nick Kyrgios set date for exhibition match in United Arab Emirates

Aryna Sabalenka and Nick Kyrgios' 'Battle of the Sexes' match has sparked debate, with Laura Robson and Tim Henman questioning whether it is needed for the sport.

The match will take place at Dubai's Coca-Cola Arena on December 28 and will pit the women's world No 1 against the former Wimbledon finalist.

Sabalenka is the reigning US Open champion, while Kyrgios - who has not played an ATP Tour match since his second-round exit at the Miami Open in March - is currently ranked 652nd in the world after injury struggles.

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Speaking about the possibility of the match at the US Open, Sabalenka said it was a "cool idea" and laughed as she pledged to "kick Nick's a**".

Former British No 1 Laura Robson told Sky Sports Tennis: "I'm interested to hear what the appeal is for Aryna. I'm not sure this is what the game is missing."

Tim Henman added: "I love tennis and I love watching the major events - the biggest and the best ones - but I'm not sure I'll be tuning in for this one."

This will be the fourth 'Battle of the Sexes' match in history, with Billie Jean King's 1973 clash with Bobby Riggs the most iconic.

Sabalenka said: "I have so much respect for Billie Jean King and what she has done for the women's game. I'm proud to represent women's tennis and to be part of this modern take of the iconic Battle of the Sexes match."

Kyrgios has previously said he would not need to try 100 per cent to win the match, but added: "When the world No 1 challenges you, you answer the call.

"I've got massive respect for Aryna - she's a powerhouse and a true champion. But I've never backed down from a challenge, and I'm not just here to play - I'm here to entertain. This is what I live for."

Billie Jean King vs Bobby Riggs

US Open champion King and ex-pro Riggs on September 20, 1973 was a match which went down in the annals of tennis history.

At the time, King was 29 and Riggs was 55, yet despite being retired from tennis for 14 years Riggs was adamant that he could beat any woman.

King eventually beat Riggs in straight sets, 6-4 6-3 6-3 in front of more than 30,000 fans at the Astrodome in Houston, Texas, an estimated 50 million people in the United States and 90 million worldwide.

The match is now described as a milestone moment in women's sport.

In the same year as The Battle of the Sexes, King formed the Women's Tennis Association (WTA) and the US Open became the first tournament to offer equal prize money.

"I really wanted to inspire the younger generations to go forward and fight for equality," said King, "because every generation does have to start over, every generation does have to fight for it."

Who else has played in one?

The first 'Battle of the Sexes' match also took place in 1973 when Riggs took on Australian Open and French Open champion Margaret Court.

Court took home $20,000 for playing in the televised match in May of that year. Riggs won the match in straight sets 6-2 6-1 - and it was later dubbed the 'Mother's Day Massacre'.

In 1992, 35-year-old Martina Navratilova faced 40-year-old Jimmy Connors at Caesars Palace, Las Vegas, in a 'Battle of Champions'. Connors, who finished as the year-end No 1 five times, got only one serve while giving Navratilova a court expanded by half-a-doubles alley on each side, he prevailed 7-5 6-2.

Each player was paid $500,000 to compete, with the prize money doubling for the winner and it was not being broadcast on national television but on pay-per-view.

"I'm glad it's over," said Navratilova. "It was such a long build-up and I was more nervous than for any match I've ever played. It was so unlike anything I've done before. It was a different kind of pressure -14,000 people and a pay-per-view audience."

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(c) Sky Sports 2025: 'Battle of the Sexes': Aryna Sabalenka and Nick Kyrgios set date for exhibition match in United Arab Emirates