Dubai’s Coca Cola Arena, which can accomodate 17,000 spectators, is not sold out for the December 28, 2025, Battle of the Sexes match between WTA World No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka and Australian tennis player Nick Kyrgios.
With two weeks until the event, there are seats available in eight sections and courtside at low and high price ranges from $130 to $975.
This event has not been well received by some fans. Billie Jean King, the winner of the original Battle of the Sexes, is cheering for Aryna Sabalenka, but she has pointed out the cultural significance of her 1973 match against Bobby Riggs makes it difficult to compare the two events. It is also worth noting that King and Riggs competed on a level playing field; there were no concessions for the mixed gender match. They played best out of five sets, something that King had never done before.
“Our’s was about social change.” 🎾
Billie Jean King beat Bobby Riggs in straight sets back in 1973, in a landmark Battle of the Sexes win for a push for equality in sport. pic.twitter.com/e1SuA5BYLg
— BBC Sport (@BBCSport) December 11, 2025
Will the event sell out in the next two weeks? Some argue that having it three days after Christmas could be a deterrent. King’s match against Riggs was played at a more opportune time of year on September 20, 1973 in Houston, Texas.
2025 Battle Of The Sexes Format
The match will consist of two sets and a 10 point tiebreaker if needed.
Each player only gets one serve.
These are not significant deviations from standard play.
The big deviation is that Sabalenka’s side of the court is 9% smaller than Kyrgios’s. That is supposed to be the equalizer between the male and female athlete.
What is not clear is if the two players will switch sides as in a normal tennis match, or if each will remain on one side because of the court-size differential.
What Will Battle Of The Sexes Prove?
Beyond being entertaining, it does not seem as though anything will be learned from this event. Sabalenka is the more accomplished player with Grand Slam singles and doubles wins and the World No. 1 ranking.
Kyrgios has been riddled with injuries in recent years, and his ranking is currently in the 600s.
The Dubai showdown is đź”›
🚨 Don’t miss the Battle of the Sexes Dec 28th on the Tennis Channel App! pic.twitter.com/yZkE9xlQc7
— Tennis Channel (@TennisChannel) December 11, 2025
Time will tell if the public tunes into this event, both in person in Dubai, and on the Tennis Channel app where it will stream live.
