Nick Kyrgios beats Aryna Sabalenka in Dubai’s long-awaited Battle of the Sexes

Nick Kyrgios and Aryna Sabalenka finally faced off in the anticipated Battle of the Sexes, with a victory for the talented Australian by 6-3, 6-3, after coming back from an unfavorable second set. The 2022 Wimbledon runner-up came from 1-3 down in the second set, winning five consecutive games to secure the win in Dubai.

It was a duel that had generated high expectation, featuring a special format designed to equalize playing conditions, which included a smaller side of the court with a surface adapted to reduce ball speed, as well as the fact that Kyrgios only played with a first serve compared to the usual two options for Sabalenka.

On a day marked by good humor from both players—who were laughing throughout the match—there were breaks on both sides and neither could impose much with their service in a duel that from the start appeared more friendly than with serious competitive pretensions.

Regardless, they provided a good show in which Sabalenka managed to compete with the Australian in rallies, but unforced errors eventually took their toll, as it was clear the Belarusian never fully adapted to the particular playing conditions of the day.

In the first set, Sabalenka began by holding her first service game, showing her status as WTA world No. 1, but Kyrgios quickly responded with good first serves that earned him simple points without many long rallies. By the third game, a streak of breaks from each side began, as Sabalenka's first serve was not very effective and Kyrgios quickly managed to force exchanges, gaining an early advantage.

Both failed with their service, but especially Sabalenka; Kyrgios took three consecutive breaks and closed the first set in his favor 6-3. The Australian had won 59% of service points and 63% on return, while Sabalenka struggled with 16 unforced errors against only 10 from Kyrgios.

The second set remained unbalanced, with Kyrgios taking the lead in his first service game. Sabalenka maintained her good humor and, amid smiles despite the errors, achieved several good rallies and even some winners that surprised her rival. This allowed the Belarusian to secure a break and then hold her serve to move ahead 3-1, showing resistance against her opponent's game.

However, Sabalenka could not impose much with her first serve for the rest of the match, and Kyrgios took advantage of his opportunities. The former world No. 13 sharpened his serve and ended up winning five games in a row before closing out the 6-3, 6-3 victory.