Overview
- World No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka and Nick Kyrgios play an exhibition at Dubai’s Coca-Cola Arena on Sunday, December 28, with live UK coverage on BBC One and BBC iPlayer.
- The format departs from standard tennis: one serve per point, a 9% smaller court on Sabalenka’s side, and best-of-three with a 10‑point final-set tiebreak.
- Billie Jean King says the event is not comparable to her 1973 match with Bobby Riggs, and commentators including Mary Carillo and Garbiñe Muguruza have criticized it as a spectacle.
- Sabalenka frames the match as entertainment that can raise visibility for women’s tennis, while Kyrgios has talked up his chances despite sparse play and a ranking near No. 673.
- Evolve, which represents both players, organized the broadcast-friendly showcase, prompting questions about commercial motives and the value of a gender-framed contest under bespoke rules.