Kyrgios defeated Sabalenka in the 'battle of the sexes': Broadcaster apologizes for technical issues, audience reacts strongly to unusual rules

29/12/2025 10:32:00 PANDATV

Nick Kyrgios secured a fairly straightforward victory over Aryna Sabalenka in the “Battle of the Sexes,” an event that stirred controversy not only due to altered rules but also because of multiple technical difficulties during the BBC broadcast.

At the Coca-Cola Arena in Dubai, the 30-year-old Australian player defeated world number one female Aryna Sabalenka with scores of 6-3, 6-3. This was Kyrgios’s first singles match since mid-March, when he had to pause competing due to injury.

Throughout the match, BBC was forced to issue a public apology as the broadcast signal repeatedly malfunctioned. The footage jittered and shook severely before cutting out entirely, causing the broadcaster to display an apology message on screen. These technical problems occurred not only during the first set but also continued into the second.

In addition to the broadcast issues, the match faced harsh criticism from fans. Many viewers described the contest as “absurd” and “pointless” because of the controversial rule modifications.

Specifically, the match between Sabalenka and Kyrgios was held under special rules: each player was allowed only one serve per point, while Sabalenka’s court was reduced by about 9% compared to Kyrgios’s side. Organizers explained that data from Evolve, a motion research company, indicated that women move approximately 9% slower than men, so Sabalenka’s court size was adjusted accordingly. The one-serve rule was introduced to limit Kyrgios’s powerful serve, which is a key weapon for him.

Nick Kyrgios won quite easily against Aryna Sabalenka in the “Battle of the Sexes” match.

However, these justifications did not convince the public. One spectator commented, “Why hold this match? Why is Sabalenka’s court smaller? This isn’t a fair competition. It looks ridiculous.” Another wrote, “This is not an equal playing field when the female player competes on a smaller court. Then why call it the Battle of the Sexes?”

A more critical opinion stated, “As expected, this #battleofthesexes was a joke. I really feel ashamed for the BBC commentary team trying to make it look like a serious and exciting match.”

Another viewer shared, “I intended to watch the #battleofthesexes but turned off the TV. If it’s meant to be a real contest, it should follow the usual rules, not shrink the female player’s court by 9%. What a waste of time. Though I guess the payment was attractive enough…”

Nevertheless, after the match, Kyrgios still praised Sabalenka. The Australian player said, “It was a really tough match. She is a formidable opponent and a great champion. I didn’t know what to expect, and regardless of my role, it was an opportunity to return to the court.” Kyrgios admitted Sabalenka applied significant pressure: “She broke my serve multiple times, constantly pressed me, and delivered excellent shots. I’d really like to play her again. It was indeed a tense battle. I don’t consider myself the champion tonight. I believe this is a positive step forward for tennis.”

From Sabalenka’s perspective, the Belarusian player was also satisfied despite the defeat and left open the possibility of a rematch. She said, “I feel very good and think I gave my all. He struggled, was tense at times, and I’m glad to see a male player also feel pressure and let me score on his serve.”

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