Aryna Sabalenka was unable to defeat Nick Kyrgios in Sunday’s showpiece ‘Battle of the Sexes’ contest.
The term was first coined by Billie Jean King and Bobby Riggs, who contested the first Battle of the Sexes match in Houston, Texas.
King defeated Riggs in straight sets – a landmark moment in the fight for gender equality in sports.
Around 52 years later, Kyrgios and Sabalenka contested the latest installment of the Battle of the Sexes series. Kyrgios won the contest 6-3, 6-3 in Dubai, United Arab Emirates.
What was your opinion on the Battle of the Sexes match?
Kyrgios was impressed by what Sabalenka did on the first point of the match. However, tennis fans were less than impressed with the spectacle, which failed to live up to its billing.
Aryna Sabalenka would like to see her Battle of the Sexes entrance used on the WTA Tour
Sabalenka’s walk from the stands to the court was far from your ordinary tennis entrance.
In what was a boxing-style entrance, Sabalenka walked down to the court in Dubai with Survivor’s ‘Eye of the Tiger’ playing in the background, coupled with the announcer’s booming introduction.
The spectacle was a far cry from the usual player entrances at Tour events; only at the major tournaments do players receive such a welcome.
It’s safe to say that Sabalenka was a fan of her introduction in Dubai.
I had a little different idea. I think a better idea! But I did not have enough time to prepare it,” the Belarusian said.
“It was me and my team’s idea. I think it was quite fun. I like to do creative stuff and it’s a cool thing to remember one day that I had such a crazy entrance on the court.
“I wish we could do it more often during the season. I think it’s a lot of fun!”
Which two players in tennis history would you like to see in a Battle of the Sexes match?
Aryna Sabalenka says she is ready for the new season
Sabalenka’s match against Kyrgios was different to the high-intensity affairs witnessed on the ATP and WTA Tours.
Moreover, the width of Sabalenka’s half of the court had been reduced, making Kyrgios’ task more difficult.
Sabalenka spoke about the changes during her post-match press conference.
She said: “Of course it felt different. The court was different.
“I had to do a couple of adjustments and obviously playing against a guy is completely different tennis and everything is much faster.
“It was a great fitness [exercise] for me today and I hope for the next couple of days I will have a great recovery and days off.
“I felt like after this match I am pretty much ready for the season and I hope that I will bring great tennis and will bring joy to people who are watching and supporting me during the season.”
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