Aryna Sabalenka celebrating a point during Brisbane International match
Women’s world number one Aryna Sabalenka has defended her widely-publicised ‘Battle of the Sexes’ exhibition match against Nick Kyrgios, following a lightning-fast start to her 2026 season at the Brisbane International.
The Belarusian star, who lost 6-3 6-3 to Kyrgios in Dubai last month, said the match helped her fitness, particularly ahead of her dominant 47-minute victory against Spain’s Cristina Bucsa, ranked 28th in the world. Sabalenka won 6-0 6-1 in the second round after receiving a first-round bye.
“When you play against a guy, the intensity is completely different,” Sabalenka explained. “Especially when there is Nick, who is drop-shotting every other shot, you move a lot, so there was a great fitness for me.”
The match, which drew comparisons to the historic Billie Jean King vs Bobby Riggs contest in 1973, received criticism from Wimbledon champion Iga Swiatek, who said it did not have “anything to do with social change.”
Sabalenka, however, viewed the exhibition positively.
“It wasn’t about proving something to anyone. It was able to show that tennis can be really huge,” she said. “That exhibition, it was fun. It was a great challenge.”
Sabalenka will next face Romania’s Sorana Cirstea in round three, as she prepares for the Australian Open, which starts on 18 January.
Meanwhile, British stars Katie Boulter and Sonay Kartal also got their 2026 campaigns off to solid starts in Auckland. Boulter defeated Ukraine’s Yuliia Starodubtseva 6-3 6-3 and will face top seed Elina Svitolina next. Kartal overcame Indonesia’s Janice Tjen 6-1 6-7 (4-7) 6-3 and will take on Germany’s Ella Seidel in the second round.
With her Brisbane form and exhibition experience under her belt, Sabalenka looks poised to continue making waves this season — both on and off the court.
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