Aryna Sabalenka lost the "Battle of the Sexes" in Dubai
Australian tennis player Nick Kyrgios confidently defeated the women's world number one, Belarusian Aryna Sabalenka, in a demonstration match called "Battle of the Sexes". He won the encounter without losing a single set — 6:3, 6:3.
Aryna Sabalenka and Nick Kyrgios after the match. Photo: Amr Alfiky/Pool Photo via AP
The match took place in Dubai and lasted 1 hour and 17 minutes. Sabalenka, a four-time Grand Slam tournament winner, could not match the Wimbledon 2022 finalist.
The match was played under special rules designed to balance the strengths. Each participant was allowed only one serve — without a second attempt. Additionally, the part of the court where Sabalenka played was reduced by 9% compared to the standard size.
Both sets were played in the usual format — up to six games. In case of a third set, a tie-break to 10 points was envisioned instead of a full game, but it did not come to that.