In 1973, Billie Jean King defeated Bobby Riggs in the second ever “Battle of the Sexes” tennis match. Aryna Sabalenka tried to replicate that excellence against Nick Kyrgios on Sunday, but fell short of that goal.
In the end, Kyrgios won by defeating Sabalenka in straight sets (6-3, 6-3).
There were also some changes made to the playing field for this match, but they didn’t seem to have much of an impact on Kyrgios. Ahead of the contest, it was announced that both players would be given one serve per point and that Sabalenka’s court would be reduced by 9 percent.
advertisement
Both changes were made to give Sabalenka an advantage. With serve rules in place, it was believed that Kyrgios would not be able to serve as powerfully for fear of losing points. But in the end, Sabalenka struggled with her serve and conceded points to Kyrgios throughout the match.
According to The Athletic, Sabalenka appeared frustrated at times during the match, but was satisfied with her performance and seemed excited about the possibility of facing Kyrgios again.
“I It felt so good. I had a great fight, but he was struggling and was really tired. It was a great level. I hit a lot of great shots, moved to the net, hit some drop shots and some great serves. I enjoyed the show. The next time I play against him, I already know his strengths and weaknesses, so it’s definitely going to be a better show.
“I love the challenge and I want to play (with him) again. It felt different and the court was different. Playing against them was competitive, fast and good for my fitness. I’ll take a good rest over the next few days and hope I can continue to bring joy to those who watch me throughout the season.”
“It was a really tough match,” Kyrgios said, praising Sabalenka for “putting pressure on her.”
Some wondered if Kyrgios, who had spent much of the past few years injured, was unfit or not giving 100 percent. The latter was an issue heading into the event, with Emma Raducanu doubting whether either player would make the effort.
advertisement
King, whose 1973 victory over Riggs was made into a film aptly titled “Battle of the Sexes,” also criticized the tournament, saying his bout with Riggs was about “social change.” According to the Independent, Dr. King supports Sabalenka, but said what happened this time was “not quite the same.”
“The only similarities are one is a boy and one is a girl. That’s it,” said King, now 82. “Everything else is no. Our match was about social change, culturally where we were in 1973. That’s not the case this time. I hope it’s a great fight. Of course I want Sabalenka to win, but the situation is not the same.”
This was the fourth “Battle of the Sexes” tennis match, but only one of them was won by a woman. That would be King, who defeated Riggs in 1973. Earlier that year, Riggs defeated Margaret Court to win the first ever “Battle of the Sexes” tennis match.
advertisement
The match was revived in 1992, when Jimmy Connors defeated Martina Navratilova in straight sets.
