Sabalenka Vs Kyrgios Highlights, Battle Of The Sexes: Australian Wins In Straight Sets Against Belarusian In Dubai

Kyrgios lands the match as Aryna Sabalenka fires wide. The Australian wins the 'Battle of the Sexes' title.

Sabalenka 3-6 3-6 Kyrgios

Aryna Sabalenka finds a perfect blazing forehand winner to save a point and Nick Kyrgios takes a 60-second timeout.

Sabalenka 3-6 3-5 Kyrgios

This match will all be over soon as Nick Kyrgios breaks Sabalenka's serve and will now have the chance to serve for the match.

Sabalenka 3-6 3-5 Kyrgios

Australian has been fantastic in this contest as he takes lead in the second set. Nick Kyrgios lands a drop shot and races to the net to reach Aryna Sabalenka's return, sending it into the empty court left behind.

Sabalenka 3-6, 3-4 Kyrgios

It felt that Sabalenka would run away with this but the Australian has held. Aussie finds a forehand winner before sending back a brilliant backhand, around the net post and in.

Sabalenka 3-6, 3-2 Kyrgios

Belarusian has now taken a 3-1 lead in the second set. She lands her forehand down the left side to take advantage once more. The Aussie then misses his forehand down the right side as the ladies world no 1 takes 3-1 lead.

Sabalenka 3-6, 3-1 Kyrgios

Kyrgios cannot take advantage as Sabalenka’s lead is cut to 40-15. However, the Belarusian breaks Kyrgios and take a 2-1 lead in the second set.

Sabalenka 3-6, 2-1 Kyrgios

Both players fight at the net before Sabalenka finds a lovely backhand volley to the left side. However, the Aussie catches the net with his forehand return as Sabalenka quickly jumps to a 40-love lead.

Sabalenka 3-6, 1-1 Kyrgios

Belarusian commits an unforced error, as Kyrgios takes advantage before the Australian finishes it off with a smash down the left side.

Sabalenka 3-6, 0-1 Kyrgios

Kyrgios has dominated this game and rightfully so, takes the first set. Sabalenka, who looks frustrated, saves one of the set points with a powerful forehand winner down the left side. But she falters at the net with her backhand volley to hand the Australian the first set.

Sabalenka 3-6 Kyrgios

Kyrgios takes 30-love lead against Sabalenka who's forehand goes awfully wrong.

The Australian then quickly takes a 40-love lead. He then goes for a cheeky underhanded serve to catch his opponent off guard, taking the game in four straight points.

Sabalenka 3-5 Kyrgios 

This is going to be closely fought contest between the two stars in tennis. Despite Kygrios saving first break point, Sabalenka sends a winner down the line to level things up.

Sabalenka 3-3 Kyrgios

Australian has broken Sabalenka in this set with 3-2 lead. Sabalenka makes good use of her sliced backhand to push Kyrgios to the right, before the Australian fails to find the sideline with his forehand. But the Belarusian's lob return ends up going over the baseline as Kyrgios breaks.

Both players are going close in this battle. Sabalenka finds advantage after Kygrios' drop shot finds the net.

She then breaks the Australian and it's 2-2!

It seems the fans inside the court are unsure as to whom to support. Talking about the game, Kygrios breaks Sabalenka with a lovely forehand winner down the left side to take a 2-1 lead.

1-1! Sabalenka takes the first game but Australian fights back to level things up. After going up 40-15, the Australian closes it out after Sabalenka sends her return into the net.

Nick Kyrgios gets the first point in the Battle of the Sexes-style match as Aryna Sabalenka finds the net, but the Australian lobs the next point long.

Here they come. We are just a few minutes away now as the players get into their rhythm.

Excitement builds up for the match-up between Kygrios and Sabalenka. We are minutes away from the enticing clash.

• The players will be limited to just one serve instead of two.

• Sabalenka’s side of the court will be 9 percent smaller than a normal tennis court.

• It will be a best-of-three-sets contest – with a 10-point tiebreaker in the final set if required.

“I think she’s the type of player who genuinely thinks she’s going to win,” Kyrgios said.

“She is not gonna beat me. Do you really think I have to try 100 percent? I’m gonna try because I’m representing the men’s side. I’d say like 6-2 maybe.”

“I think I’m going to be OK. I’m going to go there, and I don’t want her to win. That’s for sure,” he added.

Billie Jean King has downplayed the significance of Aryna Sabalenka vs Nick Kyrgios compared to the 'Battle of the Sexes' she participated in 1973.

Critics have not welcomed the timing of the 'Battle of the Sexes' between Sabalenka and Kygrios.

“The only reason they are putting this on is because their management company has gone, ‘We’re going to make a bit of money here.’ But what is in this for women’s tennis?” six-time Grand Slam doubles champion Rennae Stubbs asked on her tennis podcast.

In the original 1973 “Battle of the Sexes”, tennis player Billie Jean King beat then-55-year-old former Grand Slam champion Bobby Riggs, who had maintained that women’s tennis was inferior to the men’s game.

“I think my chances are really high. I’m very confident in my ability,” Kyrgios said with a smile during the World Tennis League exhibition tournament in the Indian city of Bengaluru on Wednesday.

“It’s going to be fun, but also I’m a bit nervous. I like doing things that are outside the box. Honestly, not many males in my position would have done that and taken the opportunity.”

“This event is really unpredictable, and I don’t know what to expect,” Sabalenka told reporters on ‍Saturday.

“That’s what I love because this is the feeling you chase when you play sport, these unpredictable situations, and I love to challenge myself. For me, it’s a huge challenge, especially playing Nick, the guy who’s unpredictable and crazy.

“That’s great training for me, and that’s a great message to the ‍girls out there. I ⁠hope they’re going to watch, and they’re going to see how strong and tough I am to have the guts to challenge myself to play against the guy.”

When will the Nick Kyrgios vs Aryna Sabalenka ‘Battle of the Sexes’ clash start?

The Nick Kyrgios vs Aryna Sabalenka ‘Battle of the Sexes’ clash will start at 9:15 PM IST (7:45 PM local time) on Sunday, December 28 at the Coca-Cola Arena in Dubai.

Where to watch Nick Kyrgios vs Aryna Sabalenka ‘Battle of the Sexes’ clash in India?

The Nick Kyrgios vs Aryna Sabalenka ‘Battle of the Sexes’ clash will be telecast on the Sony Sports 5, Sony Sports 5 HD channels. The match will also be available for live streaming on the Sony Liv app and website.