Aryna Sabalenka is pushing herself to the top in an exhibition match against Nick Kyrgios at ‘Battle of the Sexes’ by experiencing the unknown in Dubai.
The women’s world number one will face Australian maverick Kyrgios on Sunday in a reenactment of one of the most famous tennis matches in history, when Billie Jean King defeated Bobby Riggs at the Houston Astrodome in 1973.
In three-set matches, each player will be limited to one serve, the size of Sabalenka’s court will be reduced by 9 percent, and modified rules will be adopted that will include a 10-point tiebreak if necessary.
The Coca-Cola Arena rivals acknowledge Sabalenka is stepping into unfamiliar territory, but are confident in her chances and will suspend their off-court camaraderie for the day.
When asked who would win, the 27-year-old four-time Grand Slam champion quickly replied:
“This event is really unpredictable. You never know what’s going to happen. That’s what I love about it, the feeling of chasing when you play a sport.”
“I love to challenge myself and it’s a big challenge, especially going up against Nick, an unpredictable and crazy guy.
“This is great training for me and a great message to the girls. I want them to see how strong and tough I am by playing against the boys.”
Kyrgios has been limited to just five singles matches this year due to injuries, his most recent match being in March, and the 30-year-old is currently ranked 673rd in the world.
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“I’ve seen some pretty scary opponents in the past. I’m well equipped and I know Arena has some powerful weapons at her disposal,” Kyrgios said.
“But I came here prepared. Anyone who knows me knows how unpredictable I am, but I’m as prepared as I can be. I feel like I’m going to win.”
“I’ve never won a Grand Slam, but I’ve lost in a Grand Slam final. This is completely different and you don’t know how your body and mind will react.
“It’s a completely different energy. I’m definitely going to bring something different. My strength has always been unpredictability, even on the men’s tour.
“Players like Novak Djokovic, Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal have struggled to understand how to play with me at certain times, because even I don’t know what I’m going to do at certain times.
“I’m going to bring something she’s never seen before. I’m going to play a style of tennis that I know is effective.”
