In a very rare incident Nick Kyrgios admits to being under pressure to face Aryna Sabalenka. The two tennis icons will face each other in the “Battle of the Sexes” tennis exhibition on 28th December in Dubai.
While talking to the Australian Associated Press, he stated, “I was in Hong Kong recently and a lot of the male players were like, ‘Look, you’re representing all of us.’ So here I am in the firing line again,” Kyrgios said on Friday. “I’m not a stranger to taking the heat from the media, but I’m excited whatever the result may be.”
The Sabalenka-Kyrgios exhibition owes its name to the 1973 match between Billie Jean King and Bobby Riggs. A game where King won in straight sets in the Houston Astrodome.
Kyrgios has featured in only six tour-level matches over the past three years due to wrist and knee injuries. He explained that he’d be targeting a smaller section of the court — nearly 10% narrower than Sabalenka’s. This strategy or rather weak point left him with less space to strike winners.
Before they face off, both the players are scheduled for another exhibition match in New Work on 8th December. Sabalenka will play Naomi Osaka and Kyrgios will face Tommy Paul.
Kyrgios said he’d be giving Sabalenka full respect.
“Obviously you’ve got one potentially, I think, one of the greatest of all time women’s players and she’s not even almost close to scratching the surface of what she can achieve,” he told AAP. “I think she wins multiple more Grand Slams.
“She’s honestly been talking a little bit more about this match than I have, but I’m ready to take the challenge. I’m going to go out there and, in all honesty, it’s a lot of pressure for me too.”
“Look, I’m very confident,” he said. “I mean, look, there’s been 16 people that have ever walked the earth that have beaten the Big Three and the Big Four.”
“So I feel like, look, I’m quite confident but at the same time I’m very aware she’s dangerous.”
Kyrgios’s current ranking of No. 652 gives him the disadvantage before facing Sabalenka. However, the 30-year-old Australian is confident with his position.
“I’m going to be ready,” he said. “I feel good about it.”
