LONDON: World number one Aryna Sabalenka says she is not concerned that losing to Nick Kyrgios in this month’s ‘Battle of the Sexes’ exhibition could damage the reputation of women’s tennis.

Four-time Grand Slam champion Sabalenka will play the Australian, ranked 672 in the world, on December 28.

“I am not putting myself at any risk,” the 27-year-old Belarusian told the BBC. “We’re there to have fun and bring great tennis. Whoever wins, wins. It’s so obvious that the man is biologically stronger than the woman, but it’s not about that. This event is only going to help bring women’s tennis to a higher level.”

Some have criticised the event which has echoes of the original 1973 Battle of the Sexes match in which women’s trailblazer Billie Jean King was challenged by 55-year-old former Grand Slam winner Bobby Riggs who claimed women’s tennis was far inferior to men’s.

King won the match in Houston with the contest attracting a reported 90 million television viewers.

Unlike Riggs, Kyrgios is still an active Tour player although he played only five professional matches in 2025 because of the injuries that have dogged his career.

“It’s not going to be an easy match for Nick,” Sabalenka said. “I’m going to be there competing and showing women are strong, powerful and good entertainment. He’s in a lose-lose situation. I’m in a win-win situation.”

Promoting her clash with Kyrgios on British host Piers Morgan’s show on Tuesday evening, Sabalenka, meanwhile, said she considers it “not fair” that the women’s professional tennis tour allows transgender women to compete in WTA tournaments.

The Belarusian was asked if she shared the opinion of former world number one Martina Navratilova, who opposes transgender women participating in WTA tournaments.

“That’s a tricky question,” said Sabalenka. “I have nothing against them but I feel like they have still got a huge advantage over women [who have not undergone gender transition]. And I think it’s just not fair to a woman to face, biologically men. It’s not fair.

“Like the woman has been working her whole life to reach her limit and then she has to face like a man, who is biologically much stronger. So I don’t agree with this kind of stuff in sport,” she added.

The participation of transgender women in WTA tournaments is permitted under certain conditions, one of which is that their blood testosterone concentration has remained below 2.5 nanomoles per litre for the past two years.

They must also submit to the WTA a signed declaration attesting to their female or non-binary gender identity.

In practice, no transgender woman is currently playing a leading role on the WTA tour.

American Renee Richards, born Richard Raskind in 1934, is one of the few transgender tennis players to have competed at the highest level.

After playing the US Open several times in the men’s draw in the 1950s, she embarked on a second career on the women’s tour from the late 1970s into the early part of the following decade.

After retiring from competition in 1981, Richards notably coached Navratilova.

Published in Dawn, December 11th, 2025