Gigi Salmon discusses the controversial ‘Battle of the Sexes’ conflict between ladies’s world No 1 Aryna Sabalenka and former Wimbledon finalist Nick Kyrgios in her newest Sky Sports activities column.
A New 12 months however nonetheless the identical topic up for dialogue on this planet of tennis, the current ‘Battle of the Sexes’ between Aryna Sabalenka and Nick Kyrgios that came about in Dubai in December, which Kyrgios gained in straight units 6-3 6-3.
‘What did you consider it, ‘was it damaging for ladies’s tennis,’ ‘will we see the likes of it once more.’ Briefly, my reply to these three questions which have come up loads – pointless!
I assumed it was achieved and prior to now however this week with the kids again in school, seeing folks I have not seen since earlier than Christmas and realizing my line of labor, I’ve had a good few, ‘Comfortable New 12 months and what did you consider the Battle of the Sexes,’ multi function breath!
Once I first heard about it, which was throughout the WTA Finals in Riyadh in November, my first thought was ‘why is Sabalenka – the world No 1 doing it?’ I could not see an upside for her and now it is achieved – I nonetheless cannot!
She has cash, fame, recognition and because the greatest participant on this planet on the ladies’s tour certainly you do not have something to show.
Kyrgios desires to remain related
For Kyrgios it was simpler to see why he would agree, out of the highlight and with simply 5 matches to his title in 2025, with just one aggressive match win because the finish of 2022, largely on account of harm and sitting at 671 on this planet it was an opportunity to remain related.
There was additionally the quick approaching new season kicking off in his house nation of Australia, with wild playing cards on supply, so instantly showing on late night time discuss reveals in America and individuals are speaking about him once more!
By the beginning of December folks have been getting very excited concerning the assembly, the promotional circus was in full swing with the gamers showing on Jimmy Fallon and Piers Morgan, which in itself is unprecedented to advertise what was basically an exhibition.
This at a time when exhibitions have been happening everywhere in the world with a lot greater names concerned than Kyrgios however all anyone needed to speak about was their Dubai assembly, enticingly titled and wrongly so for my part, ‘Battle of the Sexes’.
When Billie Jean King was requested if she noticed any similarities between the upcoming money and her unique match of the identical title in 1973, that stood for amongst different issues social change she replied, ‘the one similarity is that one is a boy and one is a lady, that is it’.
If it hadn’t been given such an evocative title, how a lot publicity would it not have obtained?
Sure it was the world No 1 in opposition to a former Wimbledon finalist and an plain expertise in years passed by, however was it greater than world No 1 Carlos Alcaraz taking to the courtroom in opposition to Wimbledon and US Open finalist and world No 4 Amanda Anisimova in Miami initially of December.
How about Sabalenka, Naomi Osaka, Tommy Paul and Kyrgios enjoying at Madison Sq. Gardens in December, each of which barely made a ripple outdoors of the tennis world, as a result of they have been billed merely as exhibitions, not man vs ladies or WTA vs ATP.
Sabalenka started her 2026 singles season with a dominant 6-0 6-1 win over Cristina Bucsa in Brisbane
I ought to say at this level that each Sabalenka and Kyrgios are represented by the identical administration company ‘Evolve’ and this specific occasion and the title to go along with it was the brainchild of their joint supervisor Stuart Duguid.
Lose, lose for Sabalenka; Win, win for Kyrgios
The explanation I referred to as it pointless when requested for my ideas on it, was I noticed it as solely lose, lose for Sabalenka, win the match and congratulations you have crushed the world No 671, who has hardly performed in current occasions, lose and ‘oh expensive the ladies’s world No 1 has simply misplaced to the world No 671, who solely performed 5 matches with one win all yr’.
For Kyrgios it is win, win – lose and he says he wasn’t meant to win he has hardly performed, win which he did and have a look at me I’ve hardly performed but I’ve crushed one of the best ladies’s participant on this planet.
Whereas within the short-term ladies’s tennis took successful, with all these ‘new’ followers they needed to deliver into tennis questioning how does somebody who has hardly performed all yr beat and beat convincingly one of the best participant in ladies’s tennis and what does that say concerning the ladies’s sport?
I feel folks will transfer on and be glad to take action. Ladies’s tennis rightly led by Sabalenka is in an awesome place proper now, so whereas folks might query her motives, I do not consider that any main hurt has been achieved.
‘Tennis wants Nick Kyrgios’
Kyrgios by accident hits a ball child when placing a forehand throughout a doubles return with Thanasi Kokkinakis in Brisbane
Why I hope we can’t see one other incarnation of ‘Battle of the Sexes’ anytime quickly, is as a result of we do not want one, we did not want that one and hopefully those that watched it, seen it as what it was and loved it for what it was, leisure, not correct tennis, no that means connected to it, simply enjoyable!
I’ll depart you with one thing a colleague of mine mentioned to me this week after we have been discussing ‘Battle of the Sexes,’ and I might like to know your ideas…
I mentioned that I could not see one other match underneath this specific heading occurring within the close to future as I wasn’t positive and I could not consider anybody else on the ATP tour that will put themselves ahead for one thing like this, to which the reply got here, ‘I feel tennis wants Nick Kyrgios.’
Not an announcement I agree with, definitely one to get folks speaking and with how issues have gone and with Kyrgios stepping ahead to play on this match possibly the tables have turned and after saying 10 years in the past, ‘I do not actually like the game of tennis that a lot,’ possibly now it is Kyrgios who wants tennis!
Watch the ATP and WTA Excursions, dwell on Sky Sports activities or stream with NOW and the Sky Sports activities app, giving Sky Sports activities prospects entry to over 50 per cent extra dwell sport this yr at no additional value. Discover out extra right here.
