Overview
- World No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka plays Nick Kyrgios on Sunday at Dubai’s Coca‑Cola Arena in a best‑of‑three exhibition, with BBC One coverage in the UK from 3:45pm and first ball due around 8pm local time.
- The format uses one serve per point for both players, a roughly 9% smaller court on Sabalenka’s side, and a 10‑point match tiebreak if a decider is required.
- The match is a non‑tour exhibition with no ranking points, organised by Evolve, the agency that represents both players.
- Both players framed the event as entertainment and a challenge, with Sabalenka calling it “unpredictable” and Kyrgios saying he wants to win while highlighting collaboration and acknowledging pre‑match nerves.
- Billie Jean King and other pundits questioned comparisons to 1973 and criticised the rule tweaks, as Kyrgios arrives with limited 2025 match play and a ranking in the 670s.