ARYNA SABALENKA DEMANDS KYRGIOS REMATCH TO "EVEN THE SCORE" BEFORE 2026 SEASON
Aryna Sabalenka demands a rematch against Nick Kyrgios with standard rules to settle their "Battle of the Sexes" score in 2026.
Aryna Sabalenka, the world's top-ranked player, mentioned on Jan 1 that she's eager for a rematch against Nick Kyrgios in their Battle of the Sexes exhibition, aiming to settle the score.
Kyrgios of Australia defeated Sabalenka of Belarus 6-3, 6-3 during a match in Dubai on Dec 28 that got a lot of attention. The rules were changed, resulting in mixed reactions from viewers.
To try and reduce any advantage Kyrgios might have had in power and speed, Sabalenka’s side of the court was made smaller by nine percent. Also, each competitor only got one serve.
I’d definitely do it again, Sabalenka stated before the Brisbane International, which marks the start of her season as she gets ready for the Australian Open on Jan 18.
I want to even the score because I don’t like how things ended.
Sabalenka is looking forward to playing Kyrgios once more, but she wants the complete court and two serves this time.
"I think the next match should have a different setup," she commented.
Before the match, I didn't know I'd have to change my game, which was kind of hard. I would keep the whole court but allow two serves. That would even things out more.
"I always say you learn when you lose, and I learned a lot about how he plays," she added. I’d play him again. I want to win.
The match wasn't much like the well-known Battle of the Sexes game in 1973 between Billie Jean King and Bobby Riggs.
Back then, the women's pro tour, created by King, was just getting started and fighting to be taken seriously, as well as for equal pay. Female players were earning much less than male players.
King, one of the best female players ever and in top condition, beat Riggs, who was 55 years old and a good player in his time, with scores of 6-4, 6-3, and 6-3 in Houston.
The Sabalenka-Kyrgios match was criticised by some, who called it a money grab, while others thought it didn't really do much to support women's tennis.
But Sabalenka feels that exhibition tennis, like the match with Kyrgios, is important.
“I think it’s really important for tennis to stay interesting, fresh, new, and fun,” she said.
She also mentioned she was happy to be a part of the Battle of the Sexes, even though Kyrgios has hardly played recently and is ranked low at 671 in the world.
"I'm happy I could make him work hard and get tired, both physically and mentally," she stated.
It was interesting to see a man get tired and use all his skills. It was a great experience.
The Brisbane International begins on January 4. Sabalenka is aiming to win her third Australian Open title, having won in 2023 and 2024.
Madison Keys defeated her in the Melbourne Park final in 2024.
WHY DID 22 PLAYERS SUDDENLY WITHDRAW FROM THE 2026 ITALIAN OPEN MID-TOURNAMENT?
Discover the full list of injured stars, including Carlos Alcaraz and Emma Raducanu, forced out of the 2026 Italian Open.
At the 2026 Italian Open, the number of players who have withdrawn or retired during matches has climbed to 22, spanning both the ATP and WTA competitions.
By midweek, 17 players had already exited the combined ATP/WTA 1000 event in Rome. Since then, an additional three men and two women have followed suit.
Before the draws were even announced on Monday, prominent names like Carlos Alcaraz, Taylor Fritz, Jack Draper, and Marketa Vondrousova had pulled out. On the opening day of the women’s tournament, Tuesday, Marta Kostyuk and Emma Raducanu also withdrew.
Amanda Anisimova, ranked sixth in the WTA, stepped back before her first match on Thursday due to a left wrist injury. Meanwhile, Victoria Mboko, who is ninth in the world, withdrew before playing on Friday because of a gastrointestinal illness.
Valentin Vacherot, the 16th-ranked player on the ATP tour, pulled out shortly before his scheduled second-round match against Marin Cilic on Friday, citing a foot injury.
Tomas Machac, holding the 41st spot in the men's rankings, also withdrew ahead of his second-round encounter with Daniil Medvedev after an impactful win against Stefanos Tsitsipas in round one.
Arthur Fils, ranked 17th, retired during his opening match against Andrea Pellegrino on Saturday, trailing 0-4, due to hip pain.
Here’s a rundown of the withdrawals on the ATP side: Carlos Alcaraz (No. 2) was replaced by Sebastian Ofner; Taylor Fritz (No. 7) by Zachary Svajda; Valentin Vacherot (No. 16) by Martin Landaluce; Arthur Rinderknech (No. 24) by Aleksandar Kovacevic; Holger Rune (No. 40) by Damir Dzumhur; Gabriel Diallo (No. 46) by Alexander Blockx; Jack Draper (No. 50) by Hamad Medjedovic; Raphael Collignon (No. 68) by Alexandre Muller; Reilly Opelka (No. 74) by Aleksandar Vukic; Arthur Cazaux (No. 73) by Mattia Bellucci; Kamil Majchrzak (No. 76) by Roberto Bautista Agut; and Eliot Spizzirri (No. 92) by James Duckworth.
On the WTA side, Amanda Anisimova (No. 6) was replaced by Elena Gabriela Ruse from Romania; Victoria Mboko (No. 9) by Nikola Bartunkova; Marta Kostyuk (No. 15) by Ajla Tomljanovic; Emma Raducanu (No. 30) by Lilli Tagger; Marketa Vondrousova (No. 44) by Solana Sierra; Sonay Kartal (No. 56) by Zeynep Sonmez; Varvara Gracheva (No. 61) by Eva Lys; and Veronika Kudermetova (No. 70) by Petra Marcinko.
THE "REST OVER REPS" PLAN: WHY JANNIK SINNER IS SNUBBING HALLE FOR WIMBLEDON
After 23 consecutive wins, World No. 1 Jannik Sinner adjusts his schedule to target a Career Grand Slam and Wimbledon glory.
Jannik Sinner has already logged a heavy schedule this year, with deep runs in recent Masters 1000 tournaments keeping him on court against top-tier competition regularly. Given this demanding stretch, he’s taken a fresh look at his calendar and decided to skip the Halle Open, carving out a three-week break between Roland Garros and his Wimbledon title defence.
The 2024 Wimbledon champion won’t be heading to Germany for the grass-court event. That’s notable since Sinner claimed that Wimbledon crown in impressive fashion, overcoming two-time winner Carlos Alcaraz to secure his first major title away from hardcourts. That victory was his latest Grand Slam, following Alcaraz’s wins at the previous two majors.
After Roland Garros, where he seeks to complete the career Grand Slam, Sinner plans to recharge rather than pile on more tournaments before Wimbledon. Without Alcaraz in sight, he’s considered a favourite to maintain his remarkable run. His recent haul includes titles at Indian Wells, Miami, Monte-Carlo, and, most recently, Madrid. Now, he’s setting his sights on Rome, his home turf, where he’s never clinched a win but is eager to continue an ambitious streak of Masters 1000 victories, aiming for a sixth in a row.
Post-Rome, he’ll take a week off before the French Open begins. In total, Sinner has played 23 matches over the last two months without tasting defeat. If he wants to lift the Rome trophy, he’ll need to notch six more wins, then potentially battle through seven more rounds in Paris. This demanding schedule partly explains his choice to forgo Halle.
As for the 2026 Halle Open, fans might be disappointed not to see the world number one, but the field remains strong. Heading the draw is Alexander Zverev, a local favourite who has yet to claim a grass-court title or even one on home soil. With Sinner out, this could be a prime opportunity for Zverev to break through.
The American players are also well represented. The U.S. hasn’t seen a finalist here since Mardy Fish in 2004, but Taylor Fritz and Ben Shelton might be poised to change that, especially Fritz, who has already shown grass prowess with titles in Stuttgart and Eastbourne last year.
Defending champion Alexander Bublik, who ousted Sinner on his way to victory and took down Daniil Medvedev in the final, will be back aiming to repeat. Alongside him, names like Andrey Rublev, Flavio Cobolli, and Frances Tiafoe are also set to compete. The tournament runs from June 15 to 21, promising plenty of exciting tennis.
