“It wasn’t long but I hit with Carlos in New York, and the impact of his ball…" - Emma Raducanu shares opinions on Battle of the Sexes clash while comparing it to rally with Alcaraz

The long-awaited Battle of the Sexes match between Aryna Sabalenka and Nick Kyrgios is set to finally commence at the Coca Cola Arena in Dubai. It is a highly controversial event spinning off from prior men versus women clashes. British number one Emma Raducanu is very interested in the outcome of the event, hoping for a competitive matchup where they both go for it.

After all the speculation and talk, the match is finally set to be played. The highly anticipated clash between the two has caused a lot of uproar in the tennis community, many very much against it from being played. While it is highly contentious, there is still a lot of interest for it, and it is sure to bring in a lot of curious spectators around the world. 

One of these is Raducanu, who has had countless battles with Sabalenka in the past. This includes their terrific battle in the third round at Wimbledon where the world number one just managed to squeeze past the former US Open champion after a ferocious battle. It will be a completely different proposition in the form of Kyrgios, who will prove to be much more of a challenge.

Speaking in the off-season, Raducanu had some interest in the proceedings and will check in later to see the outcome. “I want to see if they both go flat out, but it will be interesting," she stated. "I don’t think I’ll watch it all live, but I think I’ll watch some highlights or a recap of it.”

There is quite a skill gap between men and women in the court, specifically with how hard the players hit the ball. While Sabalenka's forehand is up there with some of the men on tour, it is going to be quite the task of returning some of Kyrgios' biggest shots. This includes his serve, something he is very much resounded for.

Raducanu has given an insight in her experiences rallying against six-time Grand Slam champion Carlos Alcaraz. “It wasn’t long but I hit with Carlos in New York, and the impact of his ball… It looks like he’s not trying, but on your strings, it’s so heavy," she said. "That compared to a girl, usually they hit the ball flatter, except Iga [Swiatek] hits a very spinning ball. And there are certain exceptions on the women’s game. Aryna’s ball is pretty heavy, too.

“But I’d say the heaviness of the impact is different, and also just their strength in certain positions. You think you’ve hit a good shot, and they’re just able to get behind the ball like an extra step and generate and kind of one-up you and use your pace. That and the serve.”

The answer to this question would be a very firm no from the 23-year-old. “No. I don’t think anyone would sign up for that! Honestly. But I think it would just be cool for the public. It’s the first time it’s been done, so just be interesting,” she commented.

The Battle of the Sexes will take place on December 28 from 3.45pm GMT. The rules are slightly different from a normal match on the ATP or WTA Tour. Each player will receive just one serve while Sabalenka's side of the court will be shrank 9%, giving the Aussie less to aim at. The match will be a best of three sets with a 10-point tiebreaker played in the spot of a third and final set.