‘Sad’ Sabalenka says Battle of the Sexes ‘brought eyes on tennis’

Aryna Sabalenka said Tuesday she was “sad” about negative reaction to her Battle of the Sexes exhibition match against Nick Kyrgios and that it “brought so many eyes” to tennis.

The world number one lost 6-3, 6-3 to the Australian in Dubai in late December in the highly publicised event.

Critics questioned the motive behind the match, organised by the agency that manages both players, beyond broadcast ratings and money generated.

“What I’m sad about is that some people got it wrong, the whole idea of that event,” said Sabalenka, speaking at the season-opening Brisbane International.

She added: “It was fun. It was a great challenge. I think we brought so many eyes on tennis.

“It wasn’t about proving something to anyone.

“It was about to show that tennis can be really huge and we can bring a lot of attention on the exhibition match, which usually never happen, and we just proved that. That’s all it was about.”

On Saturday, world number two Iga Swiatek said women’s tennis had no need for such a match “because I feel like women’s tennis stands on its own right now”.

The suitability of Kyrgios — who admitted assaulting an ex-girlfriend in 2021 and has had to distance himself from misogynistic remarks in the past — for the men’s role in the act also stirred debate.

The December 28 showdown, with modified rules to balance up any physical inequalities between the two players, bore little resemblance to the era-defining 1973 encounter between Billie Jean King and Bobby Riggs.

Back then, there was more at stake with the nascent women’s professional tour, set up by King, fighting for greater legitimacy and prize money.

King, one of the all-time greats of the women’s game who was at the peak of her powers, saw off the 55-year-old Riggs in three sets.