The 2025 Battle of the Sexes took off in Dubai, but it wasn’t without trouble. Aryna Sabalenka brought her best to the court, which was 9% smaller than Nick Kyrgios’. The Aussie came out firing and grabbed the first set 6-3. But the second set? That’s where things went sideways for the Belarusian and for fans watching online, as the BBC was forced to make an abrupt on-air apology.

For the match on Sunday, the BBC had acquired the broadcast rights and aired it live on BBC One and iPlayer. But midway through the match, it seems like they hit a snag! As the camera feed vanished in the second set, viewers suddenly saw a message on screen: “Apologies for the loss of pictures.”

For a few awkward minutes, only the audio survived. Commentator Andrew Cotter gamely filled the silence, unsure what was being shown at home. “I’m not sure what you’re seeing at home but we have lost our pictures here,” he admitted. “I can see that Sabalenka has broken.” It was the kind of on-air moment no broadcaster wants, and Cotter’s calm delivery kept the chaos from spilling completely off court.

Eventually, the broadcast limped back to life, glitchy and unfocused as the cameras panned aimlessly around the Dubai crowd. “We are struggling a bit with the pictures from Dubai and here are some people sitting at their tables,” Cotter quipped, staying lighthearted despite the mess. He added with a dose of humor, “We’ve got some pictures back. Again, apologies for a little bit of a break-up in the pictures. When I say a little bit, I mean a lot.”

Not much screen time was lost, but the second set was the final. Kyrgios had grabbed control and never looked back, storming to a 6-3, 6-3 win over the WTA World No.1. Still, it was quite a match to watch, especially after the two players had been sharing their excitement to take the other down for months!

Even after the match wrapped up, Sabalenka was ready for her next encounter with Kyrgios!

Aryna Sabalenka drops a subtle warning for her opponent

When the final point was won, you’d think the Belarusian would be sad. But Sabalenka left the court grinning after her latest exhibition showdown, clearly pleased with how things went.

“I think I put on a great fight,” she said. “He was struggling. He got really tight. I’m happy to see that the guy is getting tight and (after) taking away one of my serves. I think it was a great level.”

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The Belarusian dug in under a set of unusual rules that shrank her side of the court by 9 percent and limited both players to a single serve. It was anyone’s guess how the match would play out, yet the result didn’t exactly shock anyone. Kyrgios, ranked outside the ATP top 600 after nearly three quiet years on tour, looked comfortable for most of the night. However, there were moments where he seemed troubled, as both tried to adapt to the strange setup. Still the World No.1 was happy with her performance.

“I made a lot of great shots, moved a lot to the net … great drop shots, Nick, great serving. I really enjoyed the show and I feel like the next time when I play him, I already know the tactics. I know his strengths, his weaknesses, and it’s going to be a better match for sure.”

The night wasn’t all serious competition, though. The Aussie gave the crowd a laugh by arguing with the chair umpire over a ball he swore was in, and Sabalenka stole the spotlight, dancing the Macarena right in front of the camera after calling a mid-set timeout.

Now, with the exhibition wrapped up, the 2026 season awaits. Perhaps if there is another Battle of the Sexes, it may see a win for the WTA, possibly without any broadcasting issues? Share your take below!