Particle.news
Download on the App Store

SabalenkaKyrgiosBattle of the Sexes’ Faces Criticism Ahead of Dubai Show Match

Billie Jean King dismisses comparisons to 1973, calling the Dubai event entertainment rather than a push for social change.

Overview

  • The exhibition is scheduled for Sunday at 16:45 CET in Dubai’s 13,000-seat Coca-Cola Arena with coverage on Sporteurope.tv.
  • Event rules include a single serve on every point and a court on Sabalenka’s side that is nine percent smaller, reducing Kyrgios’s target area.
  • Billie Jean King told the BBC the matchup is not the same as the 1973 spectacle and lacks its political purpose.
  • Former player Rennae Stubbs described the rationale as money-driven, and reports note both players are represented by the same agency.
  • Context and reactions: Sabalenka arrives as world No. 1, Kyrgios is ranked around 671 after injuries, and both urged audiences to enjoy the show as they shrugged off criticism.