‘Women’s tennis stands on its own’ – Swiatek questions need for ‘Battle of the Sexes’
Video credit: SNTV
Iga Swiatek has said that women’s tennis did not need the ‘Battle of the Sexes’ exhibition between Aryna Sabalenka and Nick Kyrgios.
The Wimbledon champion and six-time Grand Slam winner believes that women’s tennis “stands on its own,” and that the highly-publicised exhibition did not stand for any “important topics”.
Kyrgios, who has dropped to 671 in the rankings and has won just one competitive singles match since the end of 2022, beat Sabalenka 6-3 6-3 on a modified court that was 9% smaller on her side.
The Dubai exhibition shared the same moniker as the 1973 match between tennis great Billie Jean King and Bobby Riggs, which stood for social change in the context of women’s civil rights movements at the time.
And Swiatek feels similarities between the two events can only be drawn as far as the name.
“I haven’t watched, because I don’t watch stuff like that,” the 24-year-old said ahead of the United Cup – a warm-up event ahead of the Australian Open – with the season-opening Grand Slam live on TNT Sports and discovery+.
Swiatek continued: “But it for sure attracted a lot of attention and it was entertainment.
“But I wouldn’t say that had anything to do with social change or any important topics.
“I think the name was just the same as the one from the Billie Jean King match in 1973, and that’s it.”
The 1973 event saw King beat self-proclaimed chauvinist Riggs in a best-of-five match, and the political and social impact was far-reaching.
Sabalenka and Kyrgios’ exhibition, meanwhile, appeared to play on entertainment, with the former using one timeout in the second set of their best-of-three encounter to perform the Macarena.
‘I love revenge’ – Sabalenka keen to rematch Kyrgios in Battle of the Sexes
Video credit: SNTV
“There were no more similarities [between the two events] because I feel that women’s tennis stands on its own right now,” Swiatek said. “We have so many great athletes and great stories to present.
“We don’t necessarily need to compare to men’s tennis. It’s a totally different story.”‘
United Cup serves better purpose – Swiatek
Swiatek added that the United Cup, a mixed-team event that got underway in Australia on Friday, was a better vehicle to simultaneously celebrate both men’s and women’s tennis.
The event comprises a men’s and women’s singles match, and mixed doubles – working in a group format.
“Honestly, there doesn’t need to be any competition,” Swiatek said. “Actually events like this one, the United Cup, brings tennis all together and WTA fans and ATP fans can watch this event with so much excitement.
“Singles players that usually don’t have space to play mixed doubles together playing these kind of matches, I think this is actually what makes our sport much more interesting and better.
“I haven’t watched the match, I only know about how it looked. I think it was for sure nice entertainment.”
Emma Raducanu, representing Great Britain, faces four-time Grand Slam champion Naomi Osaka on Sunday and Maria Sakkari in her second singles tie, while compatriot Billy Harris faces Shintaro Mochizuki and Stefanos Tsitsipas.
Watch and stream top tennis action, including the 2026 Australian Open, live on TNT Sports and discovery+