Nick Kyrgios vs Aryna Sabalenka 'Battle of the Sexes' controversy: All you need to know about the history of the event & reason behind backlash

Nick Kyrgios and Aryna Sabalenka are set for a showdown in the latest edition of the 'Battle of the Sexes'. The event is sponsored by their management company, Evolve, which is helmed by fellow tennis player Naomi Osaka. The match will take place at the Coca Cola Arena in Dubai on December 28, 2025.

While there were talks of a showdown between Sabalenka and Kyrgios for months, many predicted the match would never materialize. Now that they're set to duke it out, the entire thing has been labeled as a shallow publicity stunt, devaluing the original intent of the initial Battle of the Sexes matches that were held over half a century ago.

The very first Battle of the Sexes match took place in 1973, although it wasn't termed that back then. Bobby Riggs, a No. 1 player and winner of six Major titles in the 1940s, went up against Margaret Court, one of the top players of the 1970s.

Riggs was 55 years old when he challenged Court, who was aged 30 years at that time. She was also on the comeback trail after the birth of her first child. He had initially approached Billie Jean King for the same, who declined to participate. He opined that women's tennis wasn't on par with the men's game, and was confident of beating his female peer despite being almost twice her age.

Riggs' prediction came true, beating Court 6-2, 6-1 on May 13. The match was later dubbed as the "Mother's Day Massacre", coinciding with the holiday and on account of the one-sided score.

Riggs grew arrogant after beating Court, further disparaging female players with his comments. This prompted King to accept a match with him, and this contest was the first to be officially billed as the Battle of the Sexes. It was a highly-anticipated event, making it financially lucrative for everyone involved. The two locked horns in September 1973, just a few months after Riggs' win over Court.

The 29-year-old King was a long-time proponent of women's tennis, pushing for equal pay and opportunities. She knew the significance of this match, and came out on top with a 6-4, 6-3, 6-3 win. Over 30,000 people were in attendance at the Houston Astrodome to watch the match. Nearly 50 million Americans tuned in to watch her beat Riggs, and the match had a global audience of approximately 90 million.

The match marked a turning point for women's tennis, paving the way for the sport to be one of the most rewarding for female athletes. A third Battle of the Sexes, dubbed as the Battle of the Champions, featuring Martina Navratilova and Jimmy Connors, took place in 1992, with the latter winning 7-5, 6-2.

These matches are of historic significance, and furthered the cause of women's sports. The showdown between Sabalenka and Kyrgios holds no real meaning as per most critics. The Aussie's controversial personality hasn't helped either.

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Rennae Stubbs, Paul McNamee left unimpressed with Aryna Sabalenka and Nick Kyrgios' Battle of the Sexes

Aryna Sabalenka at the WTA Finals 2025. (Photo: Getty)

Former tennis pro and Serena Williams' ex-coach Rennae Stubbs, has deemed Aryna Sabalenka and Nick Kyrgios' Battle of the Sexes as irrelevant. She termed the whole event as a quick money-making scheme for their management company, and felt the match was devoid of any meaning in today's times.

"The 150 years ago was important, when it was women trying to fight for equality and women's rights in the United States. That's when it was important. When we had 50,000 or 80,000 plus people in the Metrodome in Houston watching it, and the whole country watching it. No one gives a f**k about what's happening with Aryna Sabalenka and Nick Kyrgios. I mean, the only reason they're putting this on is because it is literally their company, Evolve, who's their management company, is going, we're going to make a bit of money here. This will be good. Get it on TV. Sell a few tickets. But what is in this for women's tennis?" Stubbs said.

Paul McNamee also shared his two cents on the matter. The court dimensions will be altered to favor Sabalenka during the match, and Kyrgios will be allowed only one serve as well. He wasn't particularly impressed with these changes.

"Well… changing the dimensions of the court to being a smaller target for the guy, and not letting him have a first serve, says everything you need to know about this tbh," McNamee said.

George Carmi, a tennis insider, felt that Kyrgios wasn't the right player to contest such a match. He pointed towards the Aussie's stance on equal pay, and added that this could ultimately harm women's tennis in the long term.

"I am totally fine with the idea of a fun exhibition battle of the sexes, but all of that goes out the window once you select Nick Kyrgios to be the male representation. This is a man who has spoken aggressively about being anti-equal pay," Carmi said. "There's a really high chance this man doesn't treat this like an exhibition. He is going to walk on to that court and try to make a statement, a very important statement in his mind that men and women should not be paid the same. This match is going to do irreparable damage," he added.

Sabalenka has been a dominant force in women's tennis for the past few years, while Kyrgios has been sidelined since his memorable 2022 season. He attempted a comeback earlier this year after a prolonged hiatus, which he put on hold after a few matches due to another injury.

Many have questioned Sabalenka's decision to partake in this despite being on the top of her game right now. While Kyrgios hasn't done a lot on court over the past couple of years, he has still kept his name in the headlines with his frequent controversies and hot takes. While the previous Battle of the Sexes matches largely improved the cause of women's sports, only time will tell the impact of the upcoming one.

Edited by Rohit