Men and women play on separate tours for a reason, but two of the biggest stars from the ATP and WTA Tour are set to face off later this month…
In the latest installment of ‘Battle of the Sexes’, WTA number one Aryna Sabalenka will take on Nick Kyrgios in Dubai.
The exhibition has already caused plenty of controversy, with many sharing their concerns over what a win for Kyrgios could do to women’s tennis.
What will the impact on women’s tennis be if Nick Kyrgios wins easily?
Four-time Grand Slam winner Sabalenka is confident that she can beat Kyrgios, although others aren’t so sure.
Weighing in with her thoughts, former world number one Garbine Muguruza told ‘Cope‘ how she performed against male players in the past.
Garbine Muguruza admits she would lose to a male junior
The Spaniard held the world number one ranking for four weeks and won two Grand Slams.
- 2016 French Open
- 2017 Wimbledon
But she admits that even a player of her calibre would struggle to win against a man.
“I think a junior would beat me even if I were ranked number one,” said Muguruza.
“I’ve had a lot of sparring partners, and every time I had to play a practice set, I’d end up angry. ‘How can I not win a set against him?’ And he wasn’t even a professional.
“It’s a huge difference. It’s not just power… Physically, the muscles, the stamina a man has… It’s many things.
“I have two brothers [Asier Muguruza and Igor Muguruza], and I can’t beat them.
“Yes, they were professionals, but they weren’t top 100 or anything.”
Muguruza gave her thoughts on the upcoming ‘Battle of the Sexes’ match between Sabalenka and Kyrgios.
“It’s a bit more of a show, it has nothing to do with the Battle of the Sexes, with what Billie Jean King and Bobby Riggs were doing, which was incredible,” she said.
Which two players in tennis history would you like to see in a Battle of the Sexes match?
“This is more like, let’s do this for fun.
“She seems very motivated, so I’m curious to see what’s going to happen.”
Sabalenka was bullish about her chances, telling Jimmy Fallon that she expects to kick Kyrgios a–.
“It’s a historical moment, but we’re doing it for fun reasons, to help tennis grow, it’s already got a lot of attention, it’s going to be fun, it’s going to be a great high-level match, for sure,” she said.
“I’m going to kick his a– 100%.”
Sabalenka and Kyrgios will play their ‘Battle of the Sexes’ match in Dubai on Sunday, December 28.
How good was Garbine Muguruza?
Muguruza wouldn’t back herself to beat a male player, but how well did she perform on the WTA Tour?
The Venezuelan-born Spaniard made her Grand Slam debut in 2012 and won her maiden major title four years later.
Garbine Muguruza’s Grand Slam performance timeline
| Grand Slam | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 |
| Australian Open | – | 2R | 4R | 4R | 3R | QF | 2R | 4R | F | 4R | 2R | 1R |
| French Open | Q3 | 2R | QF | QF | W | 4R | SF | 4R | 3R | 1R | 1R | – |
| Wimbledon | Q2 | 2R | 1R | F | 2R | W | 2R | 1R | – | 3R | 1R | – |
| US Open | 1R | – | 1R | 2R | 2R | 4R | 2R | 1R | 2R | 4R | 3R | – |
Garbine Muguruza’s Grand Slam results breakdown
- W – 2
- F – 2
- SF – 1
- QF – 3
- 4R – 8
- 3R – 4
- 2R – 12
- 1R – 8
She also won the WTA Finals title in 2021, defeating Estonia’s Anett Kontaveit in the Championship match.
However, after injuries and a stretch of poor form derailed her career, Muguruza retired from tennis.
She now works as the WTA Finals tournament director and is set to help Feliciano Lopez run the Madrid Open from 2026.
The 32-year-old may no longer be an active member of the WTA Tour, but she has certainly remained involved in the sport.
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