Tennis icon Billie Jean King has weighed in on the upcoming Battle of the Sexes exhibition match between Aryna Sabalenka and Nick Kyrgios, insisting that her 1973 contest against Bobby Riggs was fundamentally different. King, whose victory over Riggs became a pivotal moment in women’s rights and sports equality, emphasized that her match was about social change, while the Dubai exhibition is primarily entertainment.

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King’s Historic 1973 Victory

King famously defeated self-proclaimed chauvinist Bobby Riggs 6-4, 6-3, 6-3 in Houston in September 1973. At the time, she was 29, and Riggs, a former Wimbledon and US Open champion, was 55. The match attracted an estimated 90 million viewers worldwide and was a defining moment in the women’s rights movement, reinforcing the push for equality in sport.

King recalls:

“Mine was really political. It was rough, culturally, what was coming in with it. I knew I had to beat him for societal change. I had a lot of reasons to win.”

Her win came shortly after Riggs had beaten world number one Margaret Court, and around the same time that King helped found the Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) in 1973. The period also coincided with the enforcement of Title IX legislation in the United States, which prohibited sex-based discrimination in school and sports programs.

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Sabalenka vs Kyrgios: Entertainment Over Activism

The upcoming match in Dubai on 28 December 2025 will feature world number one Aryna Sabalenka, 27, facing Australia’s Nick Kyrgios, 30, who was the 2022 Wimbledon runner-up. Unlike King’s politically charged contest, this exhibition is primarily for entertainment, with modifications designed to balance play:

• Each player will have one serve per point.
• Sabalenka’s court side will be 9% smaller, reflecting data showing female players move about 9% slower on average.
• The match will be best of three sets, with a 10-point tie-breaker if it reaches a decider.

King explained the difference:

“The only similarity is that one is a boy and one is a girl. That’s it. Everything else, no. Ours was about social change; culturally, where we were in 1973. This one is not.”

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King on Women’s Tennis and Gender Equality

Despite modern exhibitions like Sabalenka vs Kyrgios, King stresses that women’s tennis has never claimed superiority over men, focusing instead on entertainment and skill. She highlighted that sometimes women’s matches can even surpass men’s in excitement and quality.

King also addressed concerns about Kyrgios’ past controversies, including an assault conviction in 2021 and his previous association with influencer Andrew Tate, while noting that Sabalenka’s approach emphasizes fairness and enjoyment:

“Whoever wins, wins… They are there to have fun and bring great tennis.”

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Legacy of the Original Battle of the Sexes

King’s 1973 match remains a cultural milestone, reflecting broader social movements and the fight for gender equality. She underscores that the context of her victory—a politically charged, socially significant contest—cannot be replicated in contemporary exhibitions.

“I get upset when people say you think you are better. We have never said that, never.”

The Sabalenka vs Kyrgios match will be broadcast live on the BBC, attracting tennis fans worldwide, though King maintains it cannot be compared to the societal impact of her historic win over Riggs.