Tennis legend Billie Jean King says the upcoming Battle of the Sexes match between Aryna Sabalenka and Nick Kyrgios is totally different from her famous 1973 match against Bobby Riggs.
King beat Riggs 6-4 6-3 6-3 in front of 90 million viewers, and it became a huge moment in the women’s rights movement and fight for equality in sport.
Sabalenka, the world number one, will face 2022 Wimbledon runner-up Kyrgios on 28 December in Dubai, but King insists the two events can’t be compared.
She said: “The only similarity is one is a boy and one is a girl. Ours was for social change. This one is not.”
King wants Sabalenka to win but sees this match as simple entertainment.
Some people think the exhibition is harmless, but others worry it could make the women’s game look bad if Sabalenka loses.
This match will be best of three sets, with special rules: one serve each, and Sabalenka’s side of the court is 9% smallerbecause organisers say women move 9% slower on average.
King pointed out that her match used no special rules and was played straight up.
Her 1973 match happened during major changes in women’s sport — the year she founded the WTA, and shortly after Title IX expanded opportunities for female athletes.
Sabalenka says the match won’t harm women’s sport and that she and Kyrgios are just there to “have fun and bring great tennis.”
Kyrgios’ involvement has been questioned because he admitted assault in 2021 and previously shared a post by Andrew Tate before distancing himself from it.
King says women’s tennis has never claimed to be “better than men,” only that women also provide strong entertainment.
The Sabalenka vs Kyrgios match will be shown live on the BBC.
