Battle of the Sexes Tennis Match in Dubai Highlights Ongoing Debate Over Men and Women's Sports
The Battle of the Sexes tennis match was held in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, on December 28, 2025, featuring Aryna Sabalenka competing against Nick Kyrgios. To level the playing field, Sabalenka played on a court with a 10% smaller side. Despite this adjustment, Kyrgios won the match in straight sets.
The event was named in reference to the historic 1973 match between Billie Jean King and Bobby Riggs, which King won and which helped launch a women’s tour and a push for equal pay in tennis. Public reaction to the 2025 match, however, did not appear to evoke the same level of impact among fans as the original 1973 event.
Both players defended the match afterward; Sabalenka described it as entertaining and expressed satisfaction with her performance. Kyrgios acknowledged the positives of the match and noted that Sabalenka held her own against an opponent who has defeated tennis legends such as Roger Federer, Novak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal, and Andy Murray.
Meanwhile, ex-NFL kicker Jay Feely, who is running for Congress in Arizona, criticized men competing against women in sports, stating that it is unfair to women.
