Overview
- Organisers confirmed the exhibition for December 28 at Dubai’s Coca-Cola Arena, with live coverage on BBC One and BBC iPlayer in the UK.
- The format features one serve per player, Sabalenka’s side of the court reduced by nine percent, and best-of-three sets with a 10-point match tiebreak if needed.
- Aryna Sabalenka defeated Naomi Osaka 6-3, 4-6, 10-4 at the Atlanta Cup, where a ball kid’s pinpoint throw drew a viral ovation; the result does not affect official records.
- Nick Kyrgios, limited by injuries in recent seasons, lost 7-6, 6-3 to Ben Shelton in the same Atlanta exhibition following the Sabalenka-Osaka match.
- Sabalenka publicly said she expects to win, while Kyrgios previously suggested he might not need full effort, as critics such as Rennae Stubbs warn the spectacle could be used to diminish women’s tennis.