Overview
- The exhibition is scheduled for December 28 at Dubai’s Coca‑Cola Arena and will air live on BBC One and BBC iPlayer in the UK.
- Rules include one serve per point for both players, a nine percent smaller court on Sabalenka’s side, and a best‑of‑three format with a 10‑point match tiebreak if needed.
- Sabalenka arrives as the WTA year‑end No. 1 and reigning US Open champion, whereas Kyrgios has had minimal match play this season and is ranked outside the top 600.
- Billie Jean King dismissed comparisons to her 1973 match with Bobby Riggs, while figures such as coach Roger Rasheed and former No. 1 Garbiñe Muguruza questioned the event’s value to women’s tennis.
- Kyrgios and Sabalenka defended the event as a show to draw interest in the sport, with Ben Shelton noting the format could make it a tougher challenge for Kyrgios.