Battle of the sexes: Sabalenka challenges Kyrgios: the field has been reduced

Here we go. today is the day of the eagerly awaited defeat between Aryna Sabalenka and Nick Kyrgios. In Dubai, the No. 1 in women’s tennis will take on the current world No. 671 (she has played only six official matches in the past three years). Dubbed the Battle of the Sexes, it will pit the best tennis player on the circuit against, in fact, a former Top 20 player (she also played a Wimbledon final). Best-of-three-sets match. This is not the first time a challenge has been staged, on a tennis court, between a woman and a man but, in this case, there will be some rather marked differences, especially at the rules level.

Fabrizio Ponciroli

To make the match as “balanced as possible” it has been decided that some rules will be changed for the’occasion. Obviously, the physical power of a male tennis player is definitely superior to that of a female tennis player. Hence the decision to change the court where Aryna Sabalenka will play, which will be, to be exact, reduced by 9% from the standard size. A choice to rebalance the average speed between men and women. In short, less field to cover to try to have a better chance of playing on a level playing field with the Australian who will also have to get used to the reduced field.

“Physically they are much stronger, faster, more powerful. Obviously, it&#8217s hard to compete with a man, but in these conditions, with the 9% reduced court, I feel that at least I have a higher percentage that I can play it and see if I can win. And if I can do that, maybe then I can even face a regular match,” the current world No. 1 explained to Piers Morgan Uncensored. On the other hand, Nick Kyrgios is hoping that this match can also “revitalize him” given the much criticism he has faced in the last period for his off-court behaviors.

“We go to the court to have fun and ensure great tennis. Whoever wins, wins. It is obvious that biologically the man is stronger than the woman, but it is not about that. This event will only serve to raise the level of women’s tennis. He is obliged to win. I, on the other hand, am in a different situation”, Aryna Sabalenka’s own closing remark.

Thoughts turn to historic challenges, back in 1973, In May of that year, Bobby Riggs, 55, defeated Margaret Court in two sets (6-2, 6-1 the partials). A few months later, Billie Jean King, on the other hand, won in two sets against the same Bobby Riggs at the Astrodome in Houston. A’feat that also became a movie.