Nick Kyrgios won 6-3, 6-3 against Aryna Sabalenka in an intriguing Dubai contest with celebrity interruptions
Nick Kyrgios won the latest Battle of the Sexes against Aryna Sabalenka in a contest that veered between intriguing sporting exhibition and outright circus.
It was a more even match than many feared. But the Australian, who had only won one competitive singles match since the end of 2022, always looked to have something in hand as he beat the No 1 women’s tennis player 6-3, 6-3.
“It was a really tough match,” Kyrgios said afterwards. “She is a hell of a competitor. It could have gone either way.”
In an attempt to balance the scales, Sabalenka’s side of the court was 9% smaller, while both players were limited to one serve per point. It didn’t matter. Kyrgios not only had the more powerful serve but more spin and bite on his groundstrokes.
