Sabalenka warns Kyrgios she will 'kick your ass' ahead of Battle of the Sexes exhibition
US Open champion Aryna Sabalenka issued a blunt warning to Nick Kyrgios as the pair traded trash talk before their January exhibition billed as a modern 'Battle of the Sexes.'
Aryna Sabalenka sent a blunt, expletive-laced warning to Nick Kyrgios on Wednesday as the two traded barbs ahead of an exhibition match billed as a modern-day Battle of the Sexes.
Speaking on the Jay Shetty podcast following her U.S. Open triumph, the world No. 1 said directly to Kyrgios: "Well, Nick, you gotta be ready. You'd better be ready. Yeah... I'm gonna kick your ass, man." She added with a laugh that the ATP might prefer other male players to represent the men's game in such a fixture, naming Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz as possible alternatives.
The match between Sabalenka and Kyrgios was announced last week after months of hints from Kyrgios that he wanted to reprise the spirit of Bobby Riggs' 1973 challenge to Billie Jean King. Riggs lost to King in that high-profile match, and Kyrgios has openly mixed bravado with humour in his build-up, at one point suggesting he might not need to try "100 per cent" to be competitive.
Both players have played down any serious personal animosity, stressing the exchanges are in good humour and that they remain friends off court. They are both represented by the Evolve sports agency, founded by Naomi Osaka.
Kyrgios, 30, has had a stop-start competitive record in recent seasons because of injuries and fitness issues. The Australian has won only one competitive singles match since the end of 2022 and has not played this year since the Miami Open in March, although he has used a protected ranking to hint at possible appearances at Grand Slam events. Sabalenka, by contrast, is closing out a season that saw her lift the U.S. Open trophy and appear in three of the four Grand Slam finals, and she is set to finish the year ranked No. 1.
The planned exhibition is scheduled for Jan. 6. Organisers have described it as an entertainment event rather than a tour-level contest, and both players have acknowledged its showpiece nature during media appearances.
The exchange adds to a string of public comments surrounding the fixture. Kyrgios has presented himself as a loud and willing representative of the men's game for the event, a stance that has drawn mixed reactions from fellow professionals. Kazakhstan's Alexander Bublik said recently that he did not support Kyrgios speaking on behalf of the entire ATP.
Sabalenka's comments underline her confidence ahead of the exhibition and reinforce the promotional narrative around the match: elite-level talent, bold trash talk and a nod to tennis history. Both players will be under scrutiny in the build-up to Jan. 6 for clues about fitness and how seriously they intend to contest the one-off encounter.
No official changes to the fixture have been announced since the pairing was publicised. Organisers and the players have indicated the event is aimed at generating interest and entertainment rather than altering rankings or official tour records.