In 1973, Bobby Riggs dared to challenge WTA icon Billie Jean King (then 32). He wanted to prove that even at 55 he would be able to beat a top-class young female tennis icon. The overconfidence, sadly, didn’t pay off in this ‘Battle of the Sexes’ as King humbled and conquered him in Texas. Fast forward to 2025 and Nick Kyrgios (known for his blunt and controversial takes) has now claimed he is better than the current No.1 in women’s tennis. So much so that he already sees himself as the winner of an upcoming, modern-day rendition of ‘Battle of the Sexes’.

In an episode of the Unscripted podcast by Josh Monsour, dated October 12, Kyrgios expressed his thoughts on the exhibition match he is going to play against four-time slam queen Aryna Sabalenka. Initially, he seemed genuinely excited about this unique matchup. “I am going to do the, Battle of the Sexes thing, (it) will be super fun.” However, he then went on to take a direct dig at Sabalenka’s potential. Making a huge claim, he said, “I guess I am just going to put Sabalenka in her place.”

Host Monsour’s curiosity got the best of him, “Are you guys beefing?” To this Kyrgios clarified, “Not beefing,” and added, “she is the number one player in the world and obviously we are in the day and age where you want to see, if you want to see, you know male vs female.”

Further bolstering his point that men are naturally dominating than women when it comes to physicality, he continued, “I am very happy to put my reputation or anything on the line, you know.” He, however, confessed that “She is an amazing player, no doubt.” However, he still believes that taking on Sabalenka “would be pretty comfortable.”

As of now, the location for the Battle of the Sexes – set to take place on December 28 as per the news that surfaced last month – is not confirmed. The WTA No. 1 Belarusian has never been readier to show the Aussie ATP star the power of her dominating shots. She made it evident as well before the anticipated ‘battle.’

Aryna Sabalenka is very eager to beat Nick Kyrgios

Throughout the WTA tour, Aryna Sabalenka is often considered the most brutal striker of the ball. Especially when it comes to her lethal, speedy serves. The same is the case with Nick Kyrgios.

When the news regarding a new rendition of Battle of the Sexes came out, Sabalenka snagged the chance to play mind games against her opponent. During the press conference, she began, “I think it’s gonna be spectacular to watch. It’s going to be fun, especially against someone like Nick.” She then targeted him saying, “I genuinely think that I’m going to win, and I’ll definitely go out there, and I’ll try my best to kick his a–.”

Previously, too, Kyrgios claimed that he would effortlessly dismiss this challenge. “She (Sabalenka) is not gonna beat me. Do you really think I have to try 100 percent? I’m gonna try. Because I’m representing the men’s side.” Assuming an early victory, he even declared a winning scoreline, saying, “I’d say like 6-2 maybe.”

It will be intriguing to see whether Kyrgios can live up to his tall claims. He might be a talented, hard-hitting striker, but overconfidence kills – especially when one underestimates their rival. Especially not before the clash itself – no matter what. What are your thoughts on this inadvertent clash? Who is going to bite the dust, Kyrgios or Sabalenka? Only time will tell.