Sabalenka and Kyrgios’ attempts to justify the event were met with severe criticism, especially from the tennis association.
Despite the nickname ‘Battle of the Sexes’, it had little in common with Billie Jean King’s groundbreaking match against self-confessed chauvinist Bobby Riggs in 1973 – a time when women were denied equality in tennis and wider society.
Times have changed. Tennis has greater gender equality than any other major sport.
So this was more like YouTuber boxer Jake Paul’s heavyweight fight against former world champion Anthony Joshua – an event designed to attract casual fans and blur the lines between serious sporting endeavors and frivolous entertainment.
Both players had hyped up the match in Dubai like a pair of boxers having a fight.
Sabalenka promised to “kick Nick’s ass” as she promoted the event on US chat shows, while Kyrgios insisted the razzmatazz of the occasion would bring new eyes to the sport.
Both players will undoubtedly benefit handsomely, even though they have declined to say how much they will earn.
“It will be really interesting now if we see more matches like this,” says BBC tennis correspondent Russell Fuller.
“There are many different types of tennis events around the world and exhibitions are in high demand, especially in cities where the major tournaments do not take place.”
However, it felt like the fun factor wasn’t up to what could be expected.
The atmosphere was often flat at the Coca-Cola Arena, which has a capacity of 17,000 but was reduced to a smaller sold-out crowd while the upper tier was closed.
Once the match started, every volume from the fans was weighed in Sabalenka’s favor. As the score line moved towards Kyrgios, the dial was turned down.
Kyrgios promised a string of celebrity names would add glamour, although the only notable superstars appeared to be Brazilian football legends Ronaldo and Kaka, who entered to much fanfare midway through the first set.
As Kyrgios neared victory, the cameras spotted a young child napping in his mother’s arms.
That could prove to be the defining image of an event that continues to polarize opinions.
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