Nick Kyrgios has done it. After two years of pain, surgeries, silence and doubts, the Australian tennis star walked into the Coca-Cola Arena in Dubai and gave the tennis world a moment it won’t forget. On Sunday night, in a much talked-about Battle of the Sexes exhibition event, Kyrgios beat world No.1 and four-time Grand Slam champion Aryna Sabalenka, 6-3, 6-3. The crowd saw a confident finisher. But the man holding the trophy felt something heavier.

This wasn’t a usual win for Kyrgios. It came after a long stretch where tennis felt far away. And that’s why his post-match interview hit so hard. Standing in the middle of the arena, Kyrgios opened up without holding anything back, his voice shaking, not from fatigue, but from memory.

“I mean, yeah, of course I was nervous,” he said, “You know, I don’t think many people would have put their hand up in this position, especially my position. But obviously Aryna was up for the challenge, and the scoreline was closer than it was.”

He continued, “I was like under the pump there. She really broke me back. And then anything happens once the crowd gets behind her. But you know, I think it was just, you know, I was nervous, of course. This was all the world was talking about for the last, you know, 6 months.”

Kyrgios paused, took a breath, and added. “So I mean, I’m just glad, you know, from where I was a year and a half ago, two years ago. I was sidelined. I wasn’t even able to use my right hand. So to even get back out here and play and compete with someone as great as Aryna is, honestly, it’s pretty emotional.”

This was the moment the mask slipped, and the world saw the human carrying the racquet. But that human had a long story before this mic moment ever arrived.

Kyrgios’s troubles began after his standout 2022 season, in which he reached the Wimbledon final. In 2023, knee pain forced him to pull out of the Australian Open, his home slam, before the tournament even began. Soon after, a foot injury pushed him to withdraw from the French Open. Just when he hoped to rebuild, a serious wrist injury struck.

The diagnosis revealed a full ligament rupture. Surgery was unavoidable. He went under the knife in September 2023 and then disappeared from regular competition. Through 2024, Kyrgios could barely string matches together. There were months of rehab where gripping a racquet hurt more than losing ever did. His ranking plummeted. By 2024, without points or match rhythm, he slipped outside the top 600.

The tennis world moved fast, but Kyrgios’s recovery moved painfully slow. Even in early 2025, he tried to return to Indian Wells, but the wrist pain returned with him. He retired early in the first round with emotions visible on his face as he battled feelings he didn’t want to be caught on camera. But in March 2025, at the Miami Open, Kyrgios did finally take an ATP singles victory for the first time since 2022.

It was one win, but it carried the weight of dozens of near-wins against his own body. But then the pattern repeated. The grass season, which includes Wimbledon, comes next on his schedule. Then his body sent him in the opposite direction. A small setback kept him from attending. Then came the US Open, another painful withdrawal.

Now, with a recent victory under his belt, Kyrgios seems to be back in form. But Aryna Sabalenka, who lost this match,  is clearly taking notes and she’s eyeing revenge.

Aryna Sabalenka and Nick Kyrgios leave fans craving a rematch

Aryna Sabalenka walked off the court after her loss, but her voice carried the same bold belief she always plays with. The defeat didn’t shake her. Instead, it lit a spark.

In her on-court interview, she said, “Yeah, I love revenge. I love to challenge myself, and I’d love to play again.” She also broke down the battle with honest excitement, adding: “I felt great and I think I put up a strong fight. He was struggling and got really tight at times, so I was happy to see that I could take away one of his serves. The level was high..I hit a lot of great shots, moved to the net a lot, and played some good drop shots. Nick served really well, and I truly enjoyed the show.”

She added, “Next time I play him, I already know the tactics. I know his strengths and weaknesses, and it’s going to be a better match for sure,” Sabalenka added. While Sabalenka spoke about revenge with a smile, Kyrgios praised her for never letting him take control easily. He said, “It was a really tough match. She’s a hell of a competitor and such a great champion…As I said before, this event… it was just a great opportunity to go out here. She broke my serve numerous times.”

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“I had to strap in, honestly. She was putting the pressure on. She was hitting some amazing shots. I would love to play her again and showcase her talent and also what I have left in the tank,” Kyrgios added.

For both stars, the match was more than a win or a loss. It was a show. A test. A moment where two big names met, pushed each other, and left fans asking for another round. And from the sound of it, both of them want it just as much.