EXPLAINERIn a revamp of the 1973 mixed singles match, Aryna Sabalenka will play Nick Kyrgios on Sunday in Dubai.Who: Aryna Sabalenka vs Nick KyrgiosWhat: “Battle of the Sexes” exhibition tennis matchWhere: Coca-Cola Arena in Dubai, United Arab EmiratesWhen: Sunday at 7.45pm (15:45 GMT)How to follow: We’ll have all the build-up on Al Jazeera Sport from 13:00 GMT in advance of our live text commentary stream.Women’s world number one Aryna Sabalenka will take on Australian maverick Nick Kyrgios in a “Battle of the Sexes” exhibition tennis match in Dubai on Sunday.Recommended Stories list of 4 itemsend of listSabalenka, 27, will face the 30-year-old former Wimbledon finalist in a modern rendition of tennis icon Billie Jean King’s 1973 showdown with fellow American Bobby Riggs, which turned out to be a watershed moment for both tennis and the women’s movement.Here is all to know before their much anticipated showdown:How did the Sabalenka-Kyrgios match come about?Kyrgios, who was ranked as high as 13 in the world in men’s singles, threw down the gauntlet to Sabalenka during the US Open in September, saying in an interview he would easily dispatch the Belarusian without having to try “100 percent to win”.He said women cannot return professional men’s serves and claimed he would defeat the world’s top-ranked female player.Sabalenka responded by saying she was ready to “kick a**”, which eventually led to Evolve, the marketing agency that represents both players, organising this weekend’s matchup. Aryna Sabalenka hits a backhand in the women’s singles final of this year’s US Open, which she won against Amanda Anisimova on September 6, 2025 [Mike Frey/Imagn Images via Reuters]What’s the history behind the ‘Ba …
