Women’s tennis No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka said she "loves revenge" as she targets a rematch in the "Battle of the Sexes" clash with Nick Kyrgios.
According to TNT Sports, the two played one another in an exhibition in Dubai as they contested an amended version of a tennis match.
The court on Sabalenka’s side was 9% smaller in an attempt to reduce the speed and power advantage held by her 30-year-old Australian opponent, and each player had just one service attempt.
While the 27-year-old Belarusian is ranked as the best in the world in her side of the sport, she lost 6-3 6-3 to Kyrgios, who is well down the rankings after years struggling with injury, though he is planning a comeback at the Brisbane International after receiving a wildcard entrance for the tournament.
Speaking ahead of the warm-up event for the Australian Open, which begins on January 18 live on TNT Sports and discovery+, Sabalenka said she would want to run it back to level the series.
She said, "I think I would definitely do it again," she said. "I love revenge and I don't like to leave it the way it is. I think for the next match we will come up with a different format.”
"Before the match I didn't realise I would have to adjust, and it was a bit tricky for me. I think I would keep the full court, but I would take two serves. That would even our level a lot more. I am happy that I was able to challenge him, make him work and make him physically get tired and mentally get tired," Sabalenka added.
She will now return to court in the Australian Open all set to begin in the mid of January.
Sabalenka was the winner at both the 2023 and 2024 editions of the Australian Open. Last season, she won the WTA Tour Finals, as well as the US Open, to overtake Iga Swiatek as the No. 1.
