What is 'Battle of the Sexes' involving Sabalenka, Kyrgios?
What's the story
Women's singles world number one, Aryna Sabalenka, will take on Australian tennis star Nick Kyrgios in a unique exhibition match dubbed the modern-day 'Battle of the Sexes.' The event, which is not part of the regular ATP or WTA calendars, will be held at Dubai's Coca-Cola Arena on Thursday. The match, scheduled to start at 9:15pm IST, will be streamed live on the SonyLIV app and website.
Match modifications
Exhibition match to feature modified rules
The impending Sabalenka-Kyrgios exhibition match will have modified rules, including changes to court dimensions, serving format, and match structure. Notably, the two players will get only one serve per point instead of the usual two. There will be a total of three sets, with a 10-point tiebreaker deciding the contest. Sabalenka's side of the court will be reduced by nine percent compared to regulation dimensions.
Historical context
A battle from the past
The 'Battle of the Sexes' in tennis dates back to the 1970s, when a series of cross-gender exhibition matches symbolised and promoted the fight for gender equality. In 1973, Billie Jean King defeated Bobby Riggs in one such match that made headlines. The impending match between Sabalenka and Kyrgios is an adaptation of the historic series, though with minimal focus on gender equality.