Opinion: Respect factor is different in December’s Battle of the Sexes

The biggest tennis news this week is the fact there is an intriguing exhibition tennis match scheduled on December 28 in Dubai. That is when women’s world number one Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus will face 2022 Wimbledon finalist Nick Kyrgios of Canberra, Australia. 

Yes, it is the Battle of the Sexes. The match will have significant intrigue. There is concern at this time if Sabalenka were to lose, it will damage the image of the WTA. Don’t forget, while Sabalenka is the world number one and four-time grand slam champion (2023 Australian Open, 2024 Australian Open, 2024 United States Open and 2025 United States Open), while Kyrgios is ranked 652nd despite his prior grand slam success.

The most famous Battle of the Sexes match ever happened on September 20, 1973 at Houston’s Astrodome. That is when Billie Jean King beat Bobby Riggs 6-4, 6-3, 6-3. The match was interesting because it was attended by 30, 472 and watched by 90 million worldwide on television.

The hype before the match was equally significant. That is because of the era that people lived at the time. This was at the time of the women’s independence movement and emergence of Title IX. There were also controversial comments made by Riggs that made headlines. According to Eric Jentsch of the Entertainment and Sports, National Museum of American History, Riggs stated about women’s tennis, “it stinks, you can see some pretty legs but it’s night and day compared to the men’s game.” After the King victory, Riggs stated he underestimated his opponent.

Where the 2025 Battle of the Sexes is different is around the issue of respect. Kyrgios’s comments were the following. “when the world number one challenges you, you answer the call. I’ve got massive respect for Aryna, she’s a powerhouse and true champion.” It is the respect factor that Kyrgios is showing Sabalenka, that is the most notable difference from 52 years ago.