Stay up to date with notifications from The Independent

Notifications can be managed in browser preferences.

Independent TV

Showing now | Sport

Video Player Placeholder
Kyrgios and Sabalenka address negativity surrounding Battle of the Sexes match

01:54

Kyrgios and Sabalenka address negative comments surrounding ‘Battle of the Sexes’ match

Nick Kyrgios defeated Aryna Sabalenka, the world’s No. 1 women’s tennis player, in a ‘Battle of the Sexes’ tennis exhibition in Dubai on Sunday.

Both players took the opportunity in the post-match press conference to respond to some of the negative comments that had surrounded the event.

Tennis legend Billie Jean King, who defeated self-proclaimed male chauvinist Bobby Riggs in the second ‘Battle of the Sexes’ match in 1973, dismissed this version as “not the same”, underlining how she played for “political” reasons and to spark “societal change”.

Kyrgios defended the event, claiming it has been one of the most talked-about sporting events of the last six months.

“We just brought more attention to our sport and I don't see how it can be bad,” Sabalenka said.

Up next

Thank you for registering

Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in