On December 28, Dubai will host one of the most anticipated sporting events of the year: the exhibition match between Aryna Sabalenka and Nick Kyrgios, known as the “Battle of the Sexes”.
The game will be an unusual one, with rules specially adapted to balance the confrontation between the two.
Although she has not performed in official competitions for a long time, the Australian is considered a betting favorite, while Sabalenka, the WTA world leader, starts as a challenger in this spectacular duel.
The exhibition match will take place under special conditions
The match between Aryna Sabalenka and Nick Kyrgios will bring unusual rules to the court, designed to make the duel as balanced as possible. Organized by the Evolve agency, which represents both athletes, the matchup will include changes designed to compensate for the physical differences between the players on the men’s and women’s circuits.
Thus, Sabalenka will perform in a half court reduced by approximately 9% from the standard size, an adjustment designed to reflect the differences in speed and mobility. In addition, each player will be entitled to one serve at the start of each point. This rule was introduced to limit Kyrgios’ strength advantage and to emphasize tactics, accuracy and point construction rather than stroke speed.
The reason for introducing the single service rule
Nick Kyrgios’ serve is among the most powerful in world tennis, reaching speeds of up to 218 km/h at Indian Wells this season. Because of this considerable advantage, the organizers decided that each player would be entitled to only one serve at the start of each point, in order to make the match as balanced as possible and to emphasize strategy and accuracy, not just force of shots.
Match format and player background
The match between Sabalenka and Kyrgios will follow the “best of three sets” system, and in the event of a tie, the winner will be decided by a super tie-break up to ten points. Aryna Sabalenka comes to this event as the WTA world leader and having recently won her fourth Grand Slam title at the US Open.
Nick Kyrgios, on the other hand, returns to the court after a difficult period marked by medical problems, playing only five official matches in 2025 and currently occupying a modest position in the ATP rankings.
Originally, the one-serve rule did not apply to both players. Sabalenka would have benefited from two services, but the Australian asked to change the rules. The two discussed this aspect in a joint interview for the Piers Morgan Uncensored show, reaching an agreement that would make the match as balanced as possible.
