More than 50 years after Billie Jean King’s era-defining victory over Bobby Riggs captivated 90 million viewers, Aryna Sabalenka and Nick Kyrgios are set to reignite the ‘Battle of the Sexes’ concept for a new generation. BBC Sport will serve up the exhibition clash live on BBC One, as Women’s World No.1 Sabalenka takes on Kyrgios from 3.45pm GMT on 28 December.
With confidence to match her power, Sabalenka has set the tone ahead of the match: “I genuinely think that I’m going to win. I’ll definitely go out there and I’ll try my best to kick his ass.”
Presented by Clare Balding, with Andrew Cotter leading commentary, the coverage brings viewers front-row access to a modern twist on one of sport’s most talked about spectacles.
The best of three sets exhibition match featuring a deciding 10-point tiebreak if a decider is required comes with innovative format tweaks designed to level the playing field. Organisers Evolve have confirmed that Sabalenka’s side of the court will be reduced by 9% to reflect average movement-speed differences between men and women, while both players will be restricted to a single serve to temper Kyrgios’ explosive power.
Sabalenka, 27, arrives in dominant form after winning her fourth Grand Slam title at the US Open and amassing 59 wins this season. Kyrgios, 30, continues his comeback from injury, armed with one of the most feared serves in the game.
BBC Sport will bring every moment of the entertainment exclusively and live on BBC One, 28th December.
LM4
Follow for more