Tennis star Nick Kyrgios is challenged to a match by the world’s best woman in space Christmas. Kyrgios believes Aryna Sabalenka has no chance.
They bark together in what their joint agent company Evolve calls “the fourth battle of the sexes”.
– I will do my best to crush him, said the Belarusian Sabalenka during a press conference earlier this year, according to The Athletic.
Tennis expert Christer Francke is looking forward to a rare showdown between men and women, but unless Kyrgios gets injured, the expert gives the female world number one a poor chance of winning.
– She has no chance. I don’t think any of the ladies will beat any of the top 1,000 men’s players, Francke tells NRK Sport.
Kyrgios has previously stated in a podcast with world star Alexander Bublik that he does not give women any chance against men, because “women cannot return serves”. Francke supports him in that.
– The boys are simply a little stronger. They can hit the ball harder and do more. There is a difference there, even though women’s tennis is by far the most satisfied women’s sport in the world.
The Australian’s 652nd place in the world ranking is modest now, but he has been right up to the top level before. In 2022, he reached the final of the Wimbledon tournament, where he lost to Novak Djokovic.
The most famous battle of the sexes in tennis took place in 1973, where female tennis idol Billy Jean King won against her male counterpart Bobby Riggs.