Kyrgios beats Sabalenka in exhibition match

Dubai: Nick Kyrgios beat women s world number one Aryna Sabalenka in the Battle of the Sexes yesterday, in a highly publicised showdown with modifie...

Dubai: Nick Kyrgios beat women’s world number one Aryna Sabalenka in the “Battle of the Sexes” yesterday, in a highly-publicised showdown with modified rules that divided tennis fans.

Former Wimbledon finalist Kyrgios won 6-3, 6-3 in an exhibition match in Dubai that bore little resemblance to the era-defining 1973 encounter between Billie Jean King and Bobby Riggs.

Back then, there was more at stake with the nascent women’s professional tour, set up by King, fighting for its legitimacy and prize money for female players still far lower than for the men.

King, one of the all-time greats of the women’s game who was at the peak of her powers, saw off the 55-year-old Riggs, a top player in his day, 6-4, 6-3, 6-3 in Houston.

Yesterday, each player received only one serve and the dimensions of Sabalenka’s side of the court were nine percent smaller, in an attempt to restrict Kyrgios’ power and speed advantage.