Billie Jean King, a fearless champion for gender equality, made history in 1973, almost 51 years ago, when she took on former men’s No. 1 Bobby Riggs in the iconic “Battle of the Sexes.” Riggs, a 55-year-old self-proclaimed chauvinist, had crushed Margaret Court and bragged that even in retirement, he could beat any top woman player. King accepted the challenge and silenced him with a dominant 6–4, 6–3, 6–3 victory, taking home the $100,000 prize and redefining the sport’s landscape. Now, as Wimbledon heats up and quarterfinal spots hang in the balance, Nick Kyrgios drops a fiery hint as he’s set to join Aryna Sabalenka in a modern-day Battle of the Sexes later this year.
In a thrilling reveal on “Wimbledon Unfiltered with Nick Kyrgios” on talkSPORT, the Aussie showman set the tennis world buzzing with news of a potential ‘Battle of the Sexes’ clash later this year. Speaking candidly to the host, Kyrgios shared his excitement about a unique showdown with none other than Aryna Sabalenka. “Sabalenka and I are thinking about doing battle of sexes later in the year, where the court is going to be slightly more for me with one serve and you like UTS in an event where I believe it’s like the modern day tennis, how tennis should be. So we are going to do it in a smaller court, I am playing in a slightly smaller than the usual tennis court,” he revealed.
When the host asked for clarification on whether Sabalenka’s side of the court would also be slightly smaller, Kyrgios laughed and replied, “Just slightly.” Then came the kicker: location and nerves.
“So we got one serve, I am thinking about doing it later in the year in Hong Kong. It’s going to be something that’s I am really nervous about to be honest, she’s her absolute prime right now, and she’s got the wooden legs of me. But I’m still confident that I get it,” he admitted, striking the perfect chord between confidence and respect.
Despite being known for his flashy skills and fearless attitude, Kyrgios didn’t shy away from admitting just how dangerous Sabalenka could be on the court. “The drop shot is my friend, I think I still got enough variation and enough talent in the tank to take Sabalenka but let me clear, she is fierce and you know, I am feeling my nerves right now,” he said, making it clear that this battle will be anything but predictable. And when asked whether Sabalenka would be ready for such a spectacle? “I know she would be.”
To wrap it up, Kyrgios confirmed that the event would likely unfold under the UTS banner. “But I think I, you know, that’s something that we both upto doing where, I think we are very close and yeah, I am very exited,” he said.
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The post ‘Nervous’ Nick Kyrgios Unveils Aryna Sabalenka Shocker With Echoes From 51 Years Ago appeared first on EssentiallySports.