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Top-ranked Aryna Sabalenka is set to challenge Nick Kyrgios in a ‘Battle of the Sexes’ event in the United Arab Emirates later this year.

The Belarusian Sabalenka, 27, and 30-year-old Australian Kyrgios – ranked 652nd in the world – are set to compete at the Dubai venue on December 28.

Four-times Grand Slam champion Sabalenka is the reigning Wimbledon and US Open champion.

Kyrgios, who reached a career-high world number 13 in 2016, has only played five matches this year since recovering from a serious wrist injury that sidelined him for 18 months.

He has been absent on the ATP Tour since exiting in the Miami Open early stage in March.

"I have a lot of respect for Nick and his talent, but make no mistake, I'm prepared to bring my best performance," Sabalenka stated.

Historical Background of ‘Battle of the Sexes’

Three official matches known as the ‘Battle of the Sexes’ have occurred – most notably between Billie Jean King and Bobby Riggs in 1973.

US legend Riggs had beaten Australia's Margaret Court before King got payback a few months after.

In 1992, a 40-year-old Jimmy Connors beat fellow multiple Grand Slam champion Martina Navratilova, then thirty-five, under special rules.

"I have so much respect for Billie Jean King and what she has achieved for the female tennis," Sabalenka continued. "It's an honor to stand for women's tennis and to be part of this contemporary version of the iconic ‘Battle of the Sexes’ match."

Kyrgios, who made it to the 2022 Wimbledon championship match, expressed he will enjoy the chance to play against Sabalenka, with whom he shares the same agent.

"When the world number one challenges you, you step up to the plate. I've got massive respect for Aryna; she's a powerhouse and a genuine winner," he said. "However I've never shied away from a challenge, and I'm not just here to play, I'm here to entertain. This is what I live for."

Fun Spectacle or Damaging to Female Athletics? – Viewpoint

Tennis fans have been divided into two camps since rumblings of this exhibition began at the US Open in September.

Some think it is a fun diversion which will effectively draw the eyeballs of a newer, younger audience in the age of social-media content.

Another group feels it is a ill-advised project – arranged by the Evolve agency which the players both share – and creates an opportunity for female athletics to be undermined if Sabalenka is beaten by Kyrgios.

The fact that Kyrgios admitted to assaulting an former partner in 2023, then later had to separate himself from divisive figure Andrew Tate in 2024, is a big reason why some critics believe this exhibition could provoke gender bias and misogyny.

Sabalenka does not seem to be overly concerned the event will have a detrimental effect on female athletics. Speaking about the possibility at the US Open, she said it was a "interesting concept" and chuckled as she pledged to "kick Nick's ass".

It is hard, however, to see what she benefits from the event – particularly if she loses to a man who has not been fit for a long time.

For Kyrgios, he manages to stay relevant despite his ongoing break from the tour and firmly in the spotlight which he has repeatedly demonstrated he loves to be in.

At this stage, details about the structure of the match are still limited – although rules on serves and potential court modifications are believed to have been considered.