The tennis season may be ending, but the year-end exhibitions are ready to keep the hype alive. Remember the match-off between WTA and ATP pros that took place nearly 52 years ago between Bobby Riggs and Margaret Court? Or the even more iconic clash between Billie Jean King and Riggs soon after? That format is back, and it’s getting spicier with a showdown between WTA World No.1 Aryna Sabalenka and ATP’s Nick Kyrgios.

Remember a few months ago when Sabalenka and Kyrgios teased a possible match-off? Both of them promised raw power on the court and fireworks for fans. Now there’s actual confirmation. Sabalenka shared the post herself on Instagram revealing all the details. “It’s happening. Sabalenka vs Kyrgios. Battle of the Sexes,” read the caption, while Kyrgios commented: “LETS GET IT SABA.” The event is set to take place in Dubai’s Coca-Cola Arena on December 28th.

It’s only a matter of weeks before the Dubai showdown, but predictions have already been flooding social media. Sabalenka is very much at the peak of her powers. Kyrgios, on the other hand, hasn’t been active this season at all. He’s been easing his way back after a year-long break to recover from wrist and ankle surgeries, and his last singles match was all the way back at Miami in March.

Though Nick Kyrgios picked up his first win of the season at the Miami Open, he withdrew again when his wrist flared up. Since then, he’s played just once, teaming up with Gael Monfils in doubles at the Citi Open. This Dubai exhibition marks his real comeback moment.

On the other hand, Aryna Sabalenka, has been conquering the WTA tour. The Belarusian has had a stellar season, holding on to her No.1 ranking for the second straight year, and lifting titles at the US Open, Madrid, Miami, and Brisbane. She finished runner-up at the French Open and reached the Wimbledon semifinals. And right now, she’s battling at the WTA Finals in Riyadh for her maiden year-end crown.

The situation is similar to the original Battle of the Sexes, where King was in her prime, having secured the top spot in the rankings for the fifth time. Unlike Kyrgios, Riggs was in fact retired, though like Kyrgios, he lacked recent competitive experience. So can Kyrgios, lacking match sharpness, really take her down in this special exhibition?

He thinks he might. Kyrgios believes he’ll have a slight edge, though he admits the nerves are real. Back in July, he said, “Sabalenka and I are thinking about doing battle of sexes later in the year, where the court is going to be slightly more for me with one serve and you like UTS in an event where I believe it’s like the modern day tennis, how tennis should be. So we are going to do it in a smaller court, I am playing in a slightly smaller than the usual tennis court,” he revealed. Will he feel the same now?

Aryna Sabalenka and Nick Kyrgios speak about facing each other

On October 12, during an episode of the Unscripted podcast with Josh Monsour, 2022 Wimbledon finalist shared his thoughts on his upcoming exhibition match against four-time Grand Slam champion. He sounded genuinely enthusiastic about the idea, saying, “I am going to do the, Battle of the Sexes thing, (it) will be super fun.” Then, in typical Kyrgios fashion, he added a bit of edge, “I guess I am just going to put Sabalenka in her place.”

Additionally, Monsour couldn’t resist asking, “Are you guys beefing?” Kyrgios quickly cleared the air. “Not beefing,” he said, before praising his opponent. “She is the number one player in the world and obviously we are in the day and age where you want to see, if you want to see, you know male vs female.” Confident in his own abilities, he added, “I am very happy to put my reputation or anything on the line, you know.” And though he admitted, “She is an amazing player, no doubt,” he still believed facing Sabalenka “would be pretty comfortable.”

Aryna Sabalenka, for her part, made her stance clear long before the exhibition. When asked about the new version of the “Battle of the Sexes,” she projected confidence mixed with excitement. “I think it’s gonna be spectacular to watch. It’s going to be fun, especially against someone like Nick,” she said. Then came her sharp response: “I genuinely think that I’m going to win, and I’ll definitely go out there, and I’ll try my best to kick his a**.”

Now the countdown is on for Dubai. With two months to go, the anticipation is already building. Both players sound ready, but only one will walk off the court proving their point. Who do you think will prevail?