Aryna Sabalenka has defended her highly publicized "Battle of the Sexes" exhibition match against Nick Kyrgios, which she won in 47 minutes. The match was widely criticized for its perceived lack of relevance to tennis and social change, with Wimbledon champion Iga Swiatek stating that it did not have anything to do with promoting equality or changing societal attitudes.
However, Sabalenka disagrees, saying the match "brought so many eyes on tennis" and showed that the sport can be huge. She added that the exhibition was a great challenge for her and helped her fitness levels after beating Spain's Cristina Bucsa 6-0 6-1 in the second round of the Brisbane International.
The highly publicized match against Kyrgios, a four-time major winner, was widely criticized due to its perceived lack of relevance and the fact that it did not promote social change. Sabalenka has now defended her involvement in the exhibition, saying it helped her fitness levels and brought attention to tennis.
The 2026 Australian Open is set to begin on January 18, with Sabalenka facing Romania's Sorana Cirstea in the third round of the Brisbane International.
However, Sabalenka disagrees, saying the match "brought so many eyes on tennis" and showed that the sport can be huge. She added that the exhibition was a great challenge for her and helped her fitness levels after beating Spain's Cristina Bucsa 6-0 6-1 in the second round of the Brisbane International.
The highly publicized match against Kyrgios, a four-time major winner, was widely criticized due to its perceived lack of relevance and the fact that it did not promote social change. Sabalenka has now defended her involvement in the exhibition, saying it helped her fitness levels and brought attention to tennis.
The 2026 Australian Open is set to begin on January 18, with Sabalenka facing Romania's Sorana Cirstea in the third round of the Brisbane International.
! I mean, it was just an exhibition match, let's not be too hard on her 
. She showed some serious skills against Kyrgios and honestly, it was kinda cool to see her in action 
. And let's be real, if it brought more eyes to tennis, who cares? More fans means more excitement for the actual tournament 
! I think Sabalenka should be celebrated for stepping out of her comfort zone and crushing it on court 
. Fingers crossed she brings that same energy to the Australian Open next year 
#TeamAryna #TennisForEquality #ExhibitionMatchGoals
. I mean, it might not be super serious tennis, but it did bring people to watch and talk about tennis again 
. And, honestly, if it helps her get ready for the Aussie Open by beating someone like Cristina Bucsa 
, then good on her! I think she's trying to make a point that tennis is just as popular and exciting as other sports 
️. It might not be everyone's cup of tea, but for tennis fans, it was a fun and entertaining watch 
.
i think we shud c more of these kinda matches, its fun & brings the game 2 life 
️. And let's be real, who doesn't love a good "Battle of the Sexes" style match? 
I think it was all about promoting women's tennis and showing that they can hold their own against the big boys. Plus, it was just a fun way to mix things up on court 
.
Aryna was a bit hella extra about that match 
! But tbh, if it got ppl interested in tennis again, then I'm good 
. Like, isn't it cool that she stepped up and played a high-profile exhibition against Kyrgios? It's not like she just did it to be all edgy or whatever 
. She genuinely said it helped her fitness levels, which is totally legit for an athlete 
. Maybe we shouldn't be so quick to judge her for trying something new and different 
! Like, I get it, some people might not see the point of an exhibition match, but for me, it was kinda cool that she stepped up and played against Nick Kyrgios - he's a total legend on the court 
Plus, she seems super confident about it now, saying it helped her fitness levels and that she's ready for the Australian Open 
The fact remains, though, that Sabalenka's fitness levels are looking strong after that grueling match against Bucsa. Bring on the Aussie Open and Sorana Cirstea - I'm excited to see how she'll do! 
. I mean, who doesn't love a good PR stunt to justify a pretty penny? But for real tho, that match was weird 
. And let's be real, Iga Swiatek is just salty because she didn't get invited to the party 
Aryna Sabalenka's right, though - she does say it was a great challenge for her and helped her fitness levels. And let's be real, who doesn't love watching top players go head-to-head? 
... People need to chill out about this exhibition match! It may not be about breaking down social barriers or promoting equality, but it brought some serious cash and visibility to tennis 
. I mean, let's be real, if Aryna Sabalenka and Nick Kyrgios can put on a show that draws in thousands of viewers, then what's wrong with that? 
Besides, if it helps her fitness levels and gets her ready for the Aussie Open, then that's all that matters 
. Can we just focus on the tennis now? 
. Aryna Sabalenka did good against Nick Kyrgios and now she's got more experience and it helped her fitness too 