"I don’t understand how people can find something negative in this event": Sabalenka opens up after facing Kyrgios in Battle of the Sexes

Aryna Sabalenka’s appearance at the Battle of the Sexes exhibition in Dubai may have ended in a 6–3, 6–3 loss to Nick Kyrgios, but the Belarusian left the court focused far more on the experience than the scoreline. Playing at the Coca-Cola Arena, Sabalenka stepped into an unconventional format that drew global attention and sparked debate across the tennis world, particularly regarding its impact on the women’s game.

Rather than treating the event as a novelty, Sabalenka framed it as a personal challenge and a chance to showcase tennis in a different light. She emphasised the courage it took to step onto court against a top ATP player and the enjoyment she drew from embracing the unknown. “Yeah, honestly, I think it was an amazing experience today, starting from walking onto the court and playing against the guy,” Sabalenka commentedduring press conference. “I’m really proud of myself that I was brave enough to put myself out there against him, and that I was able to bring what I felt was really good tennis. Of course, I was talking a lot — which I never do in my regular tennis life — but it was so much fun.”

The 4-time Grand Slam champion also stressed that entertainment, rather than outcome, was at the heart of her motivation. In her view, the event succeeded if it captured the audience’s attention and delivered something memorable, regardless of who won. “I’m really glad that we showed the world that a tennis event can be entertaining, fun, unpredictable, and interesting. My only goal was to make sure that whoever came to watch, and whoever was watching on TV, enjoyed it. And I really hope they did, because that was my goal.”

On court, the match offered Sabalenka a very different challenge from her usual WTA contests. Kyrgios’ variety, particularly his frequent use of drop shots, forced her into repeated sprints and sharp changes of direction. The world No. 2 viewed that aspect as a positive, describing the encounter as valuable physical work rather than a simple exhibition hit.

“I really enjoyed it. I like having fun. I like challenges. Physically, playing against him — the amount of drop shots he hit — I felt like I reached almost all of them, and that was great fitness work for me. I really hope my fitness coach watched it. I’m sure he did.”

From a seasonal perspective, Sabalenka suggested the match fit neatly into her broader preparation plans. While she acknowledged the intensity of the evening, she explained that the days following the event would focus on recovery rather than heavy training, underlining her confidence in her current condition. “For the next couple of days, it’s just going to be easy mobility work, nothing too intense. But I really enjoyed it, and I really want to do it again. As everyone knows, I love rematches, and I would put myself out there again and make sure I bring even better tennis.”

Despite the spectacle, the event attracted criticism from those who questioned whether such exhibitions benefit the WTA or the sport as a whole. Sabalenka was unequivocal in her response, rejecting the idea that the match undermined women’s tennis and instead arguing that it expanded the game’s reach. “Honestly, I don’t understand how people can find something negative in this event. For the WTA, I think I showed that I can play great tennis. It was entertaining. Yes, he won the match, but it wasn’t 6–0, 6–0. It was a fight.”

She also highlighted the broader attention generated by the clash, noting that interest extended beyond traditional tennis audiences. Messages from high-profile figures and fans outside the sport reinforced her belief that the event achieved its purpose. “It brought more eyes to tennis. Big people were messaging me wishing me luck, and they said they were going to watch from all different areas of life. I feel like we brought more attention to our sport, and I don’t see how that can be negative.”

For Sabalenka, innovation remains essential if tennis is to continue growing. She argued that events like the Battle of the Sexes complement, rather than replace, the traditional tour structure by presenting the sport in a fresh and engaging way. “The idea behind this event is to help tennis grow and show it from a different side — that tennis events can be fun and entertaining. The attention this match got was almost like a Grand Slam final.”