Aryna Sabalenka and Nick Kyrgios will meet in the “Battle of the Sexes” on Sunday, but the only similarity between the Dubai exhibition and the historic 1973 match is the name, says Billie Jean King.
Women’s world number one Sabalenka, a four-time Grand Slam champion, takes on injury-prone Australian Kyrgios in a highly publicised showdown that has divided tennis fans.
The title “Battle of the Sexes” harks back to the meeting between King and Bobby Riggs in September 1973, in what was a game-changing moment for the sport. Back then, there was far 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.
Beyond the tennis court, women struggled for equal rights in almost every aspect of life.
“It’s not the same thing,” King, now 82, told the BBC. “Ours was about social change… This one is not.
“Mine was really political. It was rough, culturally, what was coming in with it.
“I knew I had to beat him for societal change. I had a lot of reasons to win.” 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. Few, though, believe Sabalenka can repeat that success even against Kyrgios, who once reached 13 in the world but has played just six main draw matches over the last three seasons and is now ranked 671 on the ATP Tour.
“A guy ranked No. 1000, or who doesn’t even have a ranking, can be far superior to a top-10 player on the WTA Tour,” former women’s world No. 1 Garbine Muguruza told Spain’s Cope radio.
“When I was at my best, as world No. 1, a junior could beat me,” added the former Wimbledon and French Open champion. The organisers have attempted to balance the duel, which will be played best of three sets, by tweaking some rules. For example, both players will have only one serve, and Sabalenka’s half of the court will be nine percent smaller in area than Kyrgios’s.
But even the reduced court is unlikely to make much difference. King’s pioneering work off the court paid off: women now receive equal prize money to the men at each of the four majors. On Sunday there is nothing at stake other than likes, shares, broadcast ratings and cold, hard cash. “The only reason they are putting this on is because their management company has gone, ‘we’re going to make a bit of money here.’ But what is in this for women’s tennis?” six-time Grand Slam doubles champion Rennae Stubbs said on her tennis podcast.
Perhaps it is the deliberate decision to call it the “Battle of the Sexes” which has drawn the ire of so many although Kyrgios reckons that has been petrol to the flames of publicity. “All the negative comments towards the battle of the sexes are doing nothing but giving it more attention,” he posted on social media. “Aryna will go down as one of the greatest players to play this game. I will have entertained crowds around the world.”
Sabalenka has been equally as blunt: “Sit back and enjoy the show… No one cares what you have to say.”
Despite her many reservations King is still hoping for a similar outcome as her match. “I hope it’s a great match,” said the 1973 winner. “I want Sabalenka, obviously, to win — but it’s just not the same.”