Iga Świątek said that “there is no need to have a competition” like “Battle of the Sexes” by Aryna Sabalenka and Nick Kyrgios, because “women’s tennis stands on its own”.
At a press conference at the United Cup in Australia, the six-time Grand Slam champion and world number 2 said she would not say the match, played in Dubai on December 28, “had anything to do with, for example, social change or any other important issue”.
“I think the name was exactly the same as the match against Billie Jean King in 1973. That’s it,” the 24-year-old said.
“There were no more similarities because I feel like women’s tennis stands on its own right now. We have so many great athletes and great stories to showcase that we don’t necessarily need to compare ourselves to men’s tennis.
“It’s a totally different story.”
Kyrgios, the world No. 671 who fell in the rankings due to injury, beat Sabalenka, the women’s world number 1 and Świątek’s main rival, 6-3, 6-3. Kyrgios, 30, and Sabalenka, 27, have spent preparations focusing on the entertainment value of the competition, sidestepping criticism of the event’s impact on women’s tennis and tennis in general. With the match played on a smaller modified court on Sabalenka’s side and with one serve apiece, Sabalenka was in danger of either losing to a player who had played seven times in three years or winning with the format in her favor.
Both players used their post-match press conferences to express their disbelief and disgust at the criticism. Sabalenka said she “didn’t understand how people could find anything negative in this event”, while Kyrgios described it as a step forward for tennis and criticized the “negativity” around the occasion.
Before the event, Stuart Duguid, co-founder of Evolve, which represents Sabalenka and Kyrgios, said in an interview that he didn’t understand the criticism either.
With Świątek in Sydney for the United Cup, a mixed international event held there and in Perth, Sabalenka and Kyrgios are in Brisbane, competing in the WTA 500 and ATP 250 events respectively. Sabalenka, the reigning champion at the Brisbane International, said in an interview with Tennis Australia that she would like a rematch with Kyrgios in a different format.
For Świątek, tennis already has the type of events it needs to promote the game between men and women.
“Events like this, the United Cup, bring tennis together, and WTA and ATP fans can watch this event with so much excitement,” she said.
“Also seeing singles players who don’t usually have space to play together in mixed doubles, playing those kinds of matches, I think that’s actually what makes our sport a lot more interesting and better.”
