Nick Kyrgios and Aryna Sabalenka, two of the biggest names in tennis, could be set to face off in an exhibition match later this year.
During a recent episode of ‘Wimbledon Unfiltered with Nick Kyrgios’, the Aussie outlined his plans to play the world number one in an exhibition match.
“[Aryna] Sabalenka and I are thinking about doing a ‘Battle of the Sexes’ later in the year, where the court is going to be slightly smaller for me, with one serve,” said Kyrgios.
“We’re thinking about doing it later in the year in Hong Kong.
“I’m really nervous for it to be honest, she’s in her absolute prime right now, and she’s getting the wooden legs of me.
“But I’m still feeling confident that I can get her. The drop shot is my friend, I still think I’ve got enough variation and enough talent in the tank to take Sabalenka.”
Reacting to Kyrgios‘ announcement, a former two-time Grand Slam finalist predicted who would emerge victorious if the match were to take place.
Dinara Safina thinks Nick Kyrgios would ‘easily beat’ Aryna Sabalenka in a match
Appearing as a guest on Bolshe!, Dinara Safina shared who she thinks will win between Kyrgios and Sabalenka.
“I can tell you, a boy that weighs probably 150-200 [lbs], he can easily beat Aryna,” she said.
“There’s just a big difference with everything.”
Safina was then asked whether she would be interested in watching the match, which could take place later in the year.
“I would be interested, maybe they would play some cool tennis,” she said.
“But, well, it’s stupid, because a man is stronger than a girl.”
With that in mind, the hosts asked the former world number one why Sabalenka would have agreed to play Kyrgios.
“You think she agreed?” asked Safina.
“He can say anything…”
Far from Kyrgios’ biggest fan, Safina gave her damning verdict on the 2022 Wimbledon finalist.
“No, I don’t like him,” she said.
“How can I say it, he has bully-like behaviour. I don’t really like that.”
Only time will tell if we will see Kyrgios and Sabalenka face off in 2025, but it will certainly be something to look out for as the season progresses.
Would Nick Kyrgios vs Aryna Sabalenka be good for tennis?
The prospect of two big names battling it out in front of a packed crowd is exciting, but would the match really be ‘good’ for the sport?
According to Kyrgios, the rule set will favour Sabalenka, giving her two serves to the Aussie’s one, and allowing her a bigger court to hit into.
It’s not difficult to imagine the discourse that will emerge should Sabalenka defeat Kyrgios in a ‘Battle of the Sexes’ exhibition.
Some will jump at the chance to discredit a potential win for Sabalenka, finding ways to criticise the women’s game.
A defeat for the Belarusian would be even worse, as certain groups would badmouth Sabalenka.
However, ignoring the misogynistic minority, there is a lot of good that could come from the match.
An entertaining clash could create endless opportunities for future mixed-gender matches, which may benefit fans and players.
The match is also set to be played in Hong Kong, a widely untapped tennis market, potentially introducing new fans to the sport.
We’ll have to wait and see if the pair play one another, but for Kyrgios, the first step is getting back fit.
During an earlier episode of ‘Wimbledon Unfiltered with Nick Kyrgios’, Kyrgios updated fans on his fitness, having withdrawn from the French Open and Wimbledon due to injury.
“Well, I was supposed to be back for Wimbledon, but I had a bit of a knee niggle three weeks ago, so just trying to get back for the US swing,” said Kyrgios.
“I really want to come back, I’m hitting the ball great. Had a bit of a session today, feeling good.”
The world number 637 last appeared at the Miami Open in March, where he won his first competitive match in over two years.
- 2022 Japan Open 2R – Nick Kyrgios beat Kamil Majchrzak
- 2025 Miami Open 1R – Nick Kyrgios beat Mackenzie McDonald
Kyrgios is currently scheduled to return to action at the Washington Open, which begins on July 21.
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