The organizers of the latest Battle of the Sexes version decided to do something different, so they made the Belarusian side of the field 9 percent smaller in both width and length.
The step was taken in Sabalenka’s favor, but it also looked a bit awkward at times. For example, when Sabalenka was serving, she would stand a few feet behind her baseline so she could serve from where she usually does.
It was also not easy for Kyrgios, whose margin for error was smaller than normal.
It is also worth mentioning that each player had only one serve. In the end, Sabalenka managed to break Kyrgios three times, but also lost her serve five times, as the Australian sealed a 6-3 6-3 victory.
Sabalenka: The pitch felt different, just like playing against a man
“Of course it felt different. The court is different. I had to make a few adjustments. Obviously playing against a man is a completely different tennis. Everything much faster. It was a great condition for me today. I hope that in the coming days I will have a good recovery and great days off. After this match I will be pretty much done for the season. I hope that I will bring great tennis and joy to the people who watch me during the season,” explained the reigning US Open champion.
After finishing her highly anticipated match against Kyrgios, Sabalenka boards a plane and flies to Australia.
The Belarusian tennis star will kick off her season at the Brisbane International for the third year in a row. In Brisbane in 2024, the world number 1 finished second before taking the title in the 2025 edition of the tournament.
Sabalenka could be facing some pretty strong names in the very first week of 2026, as Elena Rybakina, Amanda Anisimova, Jessica Pegula and Mirra Andreeva are also set to star.
#Aryna #Sabalenka #reveals #playing #smaller #court #ATP #player