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Aryna Sabalenka is confident she will be able to match Nick Kyrgios in their controversial Battle of the Sexes clash, but former world No 1 Garbine Muguruza has sent a stark warning when it comes to women facing men.

The exhibition will be staged on December 28 in Dubai and it has received a lot of attention in recent weeks with many feeling it will be damaging to women’s sport, but Sabalenka begs to differ.

“I don’t agree,” the four-time Grand Slam winner told BBC Sport. “I am not putting myself at any risk. We’re there to have fun and bring great tennis. Whoever wins, wins.”

She added: “It’s so obvious that the man is biologically stronger than the woman, but it’s not about that.

“This event is only going to help bring women’s tennis to a higher level.”

Sabalenka is currently ranked No 1 while Kyrgios is outside the top 600 on the ATP Rankings and will likely be rusty as he has played very little tennis in recent years.

The best-of-three sets contest will also not be played under normal tennis rules as Sabalenka’s side of the court will be nine per cent smaller, and each player will be limited to one serve.

While Sabalenka is confident about her chances, two-time Grand Slam winner Muguruza has given her honest assessment about facing male tennis players.

In an interview on El Partidazo de COPE, the Spaniard said: “I’ve had so many [male] hitting partners, and every time I had to play a practice set against them, I’d end up super frustrated.

“How can it be that I can’t win a set against someone who isn’t even a professional player, someone who’s just a sparring partner?”

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The 2017 Wimbledon champion added: “The difference is huge. It’s not just power – physically… the muscles, the stamina a man has to play a match… There are so many things. I have two brothers and I’ve never beaten them.

“A guy who is ranked 1,000 in the world or doesn’t even have a ranking could be far superior to a top-10 player on the WTA circuit. When I was at my best level, being world No 1, I wouldn’t have even beaten a junior.”

Sabalenka and Kyrgios insist the match will help women’s tennis, just like the original Battle of the Sexes encounter between the great Billie Jean King and Bobby Riggs in 1973.

Muguruza added: “It’s more of a show — it has nothing to do with the Battle of the Sexes, with what Billie Jean King versus Bobby Riggs meant. That was incredible.

“This is entertainment. I think they’ll play seriously, but the idea is for it to be a show and for the fans to have a good time.”

The post Former WTA No 1 makes honest confession – ‘An unranked man can be far superior to a woman in top 10’ appeared first on Tennis365.

Coco Gauff has been told that she needs to win two Grand Slams per year for a decade if she is to stand any chance of reaching 20 majors with Rennae Stubbs offering a mixed assessment of the American’s 2025 season.

Aged just 20, Gauff doubled her Grand Slam tally this year as she won the French Open to go with the US Open trophy she lifted in 2023 while she also won one WTA 1000 title and finished runner-up at two more 1000 events.

The American finished the campaign at No 3 in the WTA Rankings with world No 1 Aryna Sabalenka and No 2 Iga Swiatek well ahead on the list.

Gauff will no doubt be happy with what she achieved this year, but four-time women’s doubles Grand Slam winner Stubbs says the 20-year-old will be disappointed in the bigger scheme of things.

Speaking on the Rennae Stubbs podcast, she said: “She’ll be super disappointed in a lot of ways, but then the other side of me is like, no… the reason that flipped in my mind is when you said it’s because Coco said she wants to win the most Grand Slams. She’s put it out there that she wants to be one of the greatest of all time. That’s her words, not mine.

“She has consistently sort of put it out there and not been afraid to say that she wants to be as great as Venus [Williams] or Serena [Williams]. And I’m like, okay, well, they won a lot of major titles when they were 18, 19, 20.

“They were racking at that point at your age, and you’ve got two unbelievable, at your age to do what you’ve done. So if you want to get to 20, you gotta win two for 10 years, or you’re gonna win a lot in a short period of time, depending on how long you want to play for.

“So I think in some respects that’s disappointing because she wants to rack them up.”

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For the record, 23-time Grand Slam winner Serena won the 1999 US Open as an 18-year-old and then had to wait nearly three years to double her tally in 2002, but that year was fruitful as she won the French Open, Wimbledon and US Open before turning 20.

Venus, meanwhile, won her first two titles in the year she turned 20 as she lifted the Wimbledon and US Open crowns and the following year she won those events again.

Although Gauff is determined to become one of the best, she has also made it clear that winning is not the be-all and end-all.

Stubbs is impressed by that attitude, but also feels there were a lot of concerning moments for the American during 2025.

“The other part of me is like, Coco is such a balanced human being that she has also talked about ‘I know that winning doesn’t define me as a person’ and she talked about that a lot this year.

“I don’t know whether she’s going to therapy or what’s happening, but she has got this different perspective on winning and losing as well, where she’s very adamant that it doesn’t change her as a person.

“So in that respect, she would look at this year as a success right and be like, I’m doing great, I’m making a lot of money, I won another major title.

“But also at the same time, we saw the breakdowns, the crying on the court again, the double-faulting, the forehand woes as well. Coco this year had such a Coco year where you’re like, ‘oh, she’s unbelievable,’ and then you’re like ‘oh, what is going on?’

“I don’t know how she would look at this year, I think this again, if she looks at it like Sabalanka, which was a learning year of what can I get better at in 2026, then sure this was a great year for her to look at winning a major title and then looking at it and going ‘okay, I know how much better I can get.’

“There are a lot of parts of her game that she can get better at.”

The post Should Coco Gauff be disappointed with her 2025 season? Former world No 1 shares opinion appeared first on Tennis365.

Emma Raducanu has a glorious chance to jump back into the top 20 of the WTA Rankings in the opening few weeks of 2026, but the British No 1 needs to make a fast start to maintain the progress she made in this season.

Raducanu won a couple of matches at last year’s Australian Open and she will need to repeat that achievement to retain her place in the top 30 of the rankings.

After that, she will have a chance to make progress, as she suffered three successive first round losses after her run in Melbourne last year, before losing in the second round of the WTA 1000 event in Dubai and the opening round at Indian Wells.

Raducanu will believe she can improve on that poor record in 2026, but she will need to add some points to her tally before she gets to the Miami Open in March, where she will be defending 215 ranking points from her impressive run to last year’s quarter-finals.

A return to the top 20 of the rankings would be welcome for a player who has struggled when facing some of the biggest hitters in the sport, with former British No 1 Greg Rusedski telling Tennis365 that Raducanu should be aiming high.

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“I know this has been said before, but you need consistency in your coach and where you are going. She didn’t have that,” Rudedski told Tennis365 ahead of the launch of his Off Court with Greg podcast on Monday.

“The reason she is back in the top 30 now is that she has had some consistency with her coaches in recent months, starting with Mark Petchey coming into her team back in March and then with Francisco Roig coming on board, who has worked with Rafael Nadal. She needs that consistency with her coaching now.

“She has got back to where she is in the rankings and has not played a full schedule. So I’d expect her to get back into the top 20 next year and the challenge then is to go beyond that and win titles.

“Tennis players tend to be on a journey. They start by winning smaller events, work their way up the rankings and then they challenge for Grand Slams when they reach the top level.

“Raducanu now has to win tournaments. She needs to get to finals. She hasn’t done that yet and she needs to start building by winning the lesser events on the main tour.”

Winning titles would put a different gloss on the career of the 2021 US Open champion and it would also boost a ranking that has risen from No 56 at the end of 24.

If she stays fit and maintains a stable coaching set-up, there is no reason why Raducanu cannot finish 2026 back in the top 20 of the WTA Rankings heading into a season that could well define whether the 23-year-old has what it takes to compete at the top consistently.

The post Emma Raducanu rankings prediction for 2026 and why she needs a fast start to the season appeared first on Tennis365.

Jannik Sinner is not always viewed as the most popular player on the ATP Tour, but the Italian has banished any suggestion that he lacks popular support by claiming the ATP Fans’ Favourite award for a third successive year.

Sinner’s ruthless and machine-like winning approach is not as instantly appealing as the smiling brilliance of his big rival Carlos Alcaraz, who is widely hailed as the most popular player in tennis.

Yet even after a year when Sinner missed three months due to a doping suspension that will always leave a negative mark on his record, the world No 2 has claimed the popularity award once again.

“Thank you so much for voting for me,” said Sinner. “Winning the Fans’ Favourite award once again means the world to me, especially because of you guys.

“It has been a very intense year, but you give me so much energy and love, especially when I go on court and perform in front of you.

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“It’s the best feeling for us tennis players, so thank you so much. I will prepare myself in the best possible way to be ready for next year, and see you all very, very soon.”

Alcaraz’s fans will doubtless have been voting in their thousands for their man to win this award, but it is Sinner who claimed a prize that always proved to be elusive for Novak Djokovic.

Roger Federer dominated the ATP Fans’ Favourite Award during his time at the top of the sport, winning it for 19 successive years between 2003 and 2019.

His big rival Rafael Nadal then claimed the prize in 2022 before Sinner won it for the first time in 2023.

Sinner and Alcaraz’s rivalry dominated the ATP Tour landscape for a second successive year as the ‘Big 2’ dominated the biggest events, with former British No 1 Greg Rusedski telling Tennis365 why these two have separated themselves from the chasing pack.

“Alacarz exploded out and starting winning right away, just like Rafael Nadal did,” said Rusedski ahead of the launch of his new podcast Off Court with Greg. “He has been amazing for the sport and to already have six Grand Slam titles is an incredible number.

“Then you look at Sinner and the way he has used his skills as a skier to move around the court so effortlessly. I’ve never seen a player move like that before.

“You speak to other players and they say they just strike the ball so hard on both sides. Alex de Minaur said they strike it even harder than Federer, Nadal and Djokovic.

“The Roland Garros final they played this year was one of the best matches we have ever seen, including anything we saw from the Federer, Nadal and Djokovic match-ups.

“That tells you we are looking at two players here who are playing at another level, but whether they ever win as many titles as the ‘Big 3’, that’s a very different debate.

“You have to respect the longevity and the achievements of Roger, Rafa and Novak. Their records will be very tough to beat.”

The post Jannik Sinner claims a big award as his big rival Carlos Alcaraz is snubbed again appeared first on Tennis365.

Jannik Sinner ended 2025 on a real high as he won a hat-trick of titles at the in Vienna, Paris and then at the ATP Finals in front of his adoring Italian fans in Turin.

The world No 2 can also reflect on a stunning year that saw him retain his Australian Open title and win his first title at Wimbledon, where he ended Carlos Alcaraz’s reign on the Centre Court at the All England Club in a thrilling final.

Yet this year will also be remembered for his three-month suspension from the sport after he failed two doping tests at the 2024 Indian Wells Masters.

Sinner was initially cleared of wrongdoing by the International Tennis Integrity Agency, but the World Anti-Doping Agency opened its own case against Sinner, forcing the Italian to accept a plea deal that saw him serve a three-month ban between February and May.

The debate over how Sinner’s case was handled will also be a part of his story, with 24-time Grand Slam champion Novak Djokovic among those suggesting the Italian appeared to get preferential treatment due to his status at the top of men’s tennis.

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“That cloud will follow him just as the cloud of Covid will follow me, for the rest of his, or my career in this case,” said Djokovic, referencing his own controversy when he refused to take a Covid vaccine and was banned from several tournaments in an interview with Piers Morgan.

“It’s just something that was so major and when that happens. You know, over time it will fade, but I don’t think it will disappear. There’s always going to be a certain group of people that will always try to bring that forward.

“I’ve known Jannik since he was probably 13 or 14 years of age because his first coach was my coach, Riccardo Piatti.

“I was practicing a lot with Sinner when he was a junior. I liked him a lot. He was skinny as I was, he was tall, grew up skiing on the mountains.

“He always came across as very genuine, very nice, very quiet. He had his own world and didn’t care too much about the lights of society. He just wanted to be the best player he can be and I liked that.

“When this happened, I was shocked, honestly. I don’t think he did it on purpose, but the way the case was handled, there were so many red flags, honestly.

“There is the lack of transparency, the inconsistency, the convenience of the ban coming, between the Slams, so he doesn’t miss out the others – it’s just, it was very, very odd.

“I really don’t like how the case was being handled and you could hear so many other players, both male and female, who had some similar situations coming out in the media, and complaining that it was a preferable treatment.

“I want to believe (him). My history with him, I think, he didn’t do it on purpose, but of course he is responsible. That’s the rules. So when you see people who had something very similar or same being banned for years and he’s banned for three months, it’s not right.

“It’s not easy for him. I have empathy for him and the storm in the media that comes back at times. It’s not easy for him. And amid all that, he’s playing incredible, winning Slams.”

Djokovic’s comments revived the storm around Sinner’s doping suspension, but it can now be revealed that he paid a heavy financial cost for his doping ban.

Sinner missed out on the potential prize money of $1,201,125 if he had won the Indian Wells Masters and he was denied the chance to challenge for the $1,124,380 top prize at the Miami Masters due to his suspension.

He then missed out on the €946,610 Carlos Alcaraz collected for winning the Monte-Carlo Masters, with the ramifications of missing those three ATP 1000 events felt as he latterly missed out on an ATP Bonus Pool payment that would have been worth around $2million.

Sinner missed four ATP Masters 1000 events in total in 2025 as he also dropped out of the Toronto event in early August, which came shortly after he won the Wimbledon title.

That meant he was ruled out of receiving any payments from the ATP Bonus Pool, which is handed out to the players who are the top performers in the ATP Tour marquee events, so long as they play in all of them.

Sinner may not be too worried about money in a year when he collected $19,114,396 in official prize money and another $6.5million from his win at the Six Kings Slam exhibition event in Saudi Arabia.

The final costly outcome of his ban was Alcaraz’s coronation as the year-end ATP Tour No 1, with the three-month absence of Sinner costing the Italian a chance to challenge his Spanish rival for that crown.

In total and including the missed Bonus Pool payment, Sinner’s doping suspension potentially cost him around $5million, with the stain on his reputation possibly even more costly.

The post Full financial cost of Jannik Sinner’s drug ban revealed as he pays a heavy price appeared first on Tennis365.

Six-time Australian Open champion Roger Federer will return to Melbourne Park in 2026 and he WILL return to court as he will take part in an exhibition match with three fellow former world No 1s.

The tennis great won the season-opening Grand Slam in 2004, 2006, 2007, 2010, 2017 and 2018 and his final appearance at the Australian event was in 2020 when he lost in the semi-final against Novak Djokovic, who went on to successfully defend his crown that year.

Federer didn’t get a chance to say goodbye to his fans Down Under as he missed the next two editions due to a serious knee injury and then retired from tennis in September 2022.

But Australian fans will get a last chance to see the Swiss in action as he has signed up for the ‘Battle of the World No 1s’ that will be staged a day before the hard-court major gets underway.

“It feels like a lifetime ago that I coined the phrase the ‘Happy Slam’ for the Australian Open, and it still makes me smile when I think about all the moments I’ve had here,” the 24-time Grand Slam winner said.

“I’ve experienced so many emotions on Rod Laver Arena … the joy of lifting ‘Norman’ six times, the honour of playing in front of Rod Laver himself, the challenge of competing against my biggest rivals, and always the overwhelming love and support of the Australian fans.

“Coming back to win the AO in 2017 is one of my most treasured Grand Slam memories and backing it up to win in 2018 was another dream come true in Melbourne. I can’t wait to come Down Under again to the AO and create more fantastic moments with all the Aussie fans.”

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Federer will be joined by four-time Australian Open champion and eight-time major champion Andre Agassi, two-time US Open champion Patrick Rafter and two-time major winner Lleyton Hewitt in a star-studded encounter on January 17.

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The match forms part of the Australian Open’s first-ever Open Ceremony with the main draw of the hard-court major starting on Sunday, January 18 with tournament director Craig Tiley stating: “This inaugural Opening Ceremony will mark the start of a new tennis season in spectacular fashion.

“I can’t wait to see Roger back on Rod Laver Arena, along with other greats of the game Andre, Pat and Lleyton. And I know fans across Australia will be just as excited to share this moment with him.”

Organisers have also introduced 1 Point Slam during the Open Week with Carlos Alcaraz and Nick Kyrgios featuring in the exhibition event that will see 48 players consisting of professionals, amateurs and celebrity wildcards battle it out for the $1 million prize in a one-point knockout tournament.

The post Roger Federer set for Australian Open comeback appeared first on Tennis365.

The ATP Tour season has come to an end and the end-of-season report can now be finalised, with Carlos Alcaraz and Novak Djokovic the big winners in the rankings battle.

When the final ATP Rankings list for 2024 is compared to the position the world’s top players are sitting in now, there are some stark stories of success and failure standing out.

Here is your Tennis365 guide to the players who will be enjoying their off-season with a sense of satisfaction for their achievements, with Jannik Sinner among those who suffered a rankings dip after finishing as world No 1 at the end of the 2024 season.

Carlos Alcaraz 

End of 2024 ranking: No 3

End of 2025 ranking: No 1

The Spaniard ended 2025 as the world No 1 in a season when he added two more Grand Slam titles to his collection at the French Open and the US Open.

He needed to beat his big rival Jannik Sinner to win those two major titles, as he took his career tally to six in double quick time at the age of 22.

Sinner’s three-month suspension from February to May helped Alcaraz clinch the year-end No 1 ranking, but this was still a stunning season for the brilliant Spaniard.

Novak Djokovic

End of 2024 ranking: No 7

End of 2025 ranking: No 4

Djokovic infuriated some tennis fans with his final act of the 2025 season, as he pulled out of the ATP Finals a day before the event started and broke some unwritten tennis rules by pulling out after the draw had been made.

The Serbian can look back on an impressive season, as he was one of only two players to reach the semi-finals of all four Grand Slams and even though he was well beaten by Alcaraz and Sinner in those events, he has vowed to come back and chase even more in 2026.

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Felix Auger-Aliassime

End of 2024 ranking: No 29

End of 2025 ranking: No 5

Auger-Aliassime was one of the form players on the ATP Tour in the second half of the season, as he reached the US Open semi-finals and sealed his spot in the end-of-season ATP Finals.

This Canadian’s career has been on hold for the last few years, but he is firmly back on track and will head into 2026 as a player to watch.

Ben Shelton

End of 2024 ranking: No 21

End of 2025 ranking: No 9

The big-serving American confirmed he has the firepower to reach the latter stages of the biggest events in the sport and now he needs to add some finishing touches to his all-round game.

Shelton came up short against the very best in the men’s game, but his huge rankings rise confirms he is a man making forwards steps in his career.

Jack Draper

End of 2024 ranking: No 15

End of 2025 ranking: No 10

When you consider Draper only played 17 tournaments in an injury-plagued season, his top 10 finish in the ATP Rankings is an impressive effort.

He will have plenty of points to defend when he gets to March and he returns to Indian Wells after his win there last year, but the big-serving Brit will have plenty of scope to gain ranking points in 2026 after missing so much tennis this season.

Alexander Bublik

End of 2024 ranking: No 33

End of 2025 ranking: No 11

Bublik has always had the talent to challenge the best in the game, but this was the season when he put it all together.

His win against Sinner on grass in Halle was a highlight and he will be a player no-one wants to draw in the Australian Open next month.

Alejandro Davidovich Fokina

End of 2024 ranking: No 61

End of 2025 ranking: No 14

One of the most underrated seasons of the year was delivered by Davidovich Fokina, who put together a 44-26 winning record this season.

He reached the last 16 at the Australian Open and was also a semi-finals at the Monte-Carlo Masters as he finished the season with a career high ranking.

2025 ATP year-end rankings (numbers in brackets highlight ranking movement from end of 2024 season)

1. Carlos Alcaraz (+2 from 2024)
2. Jannik Sinner (-1)
3. Alexander Zverev (-1)
4. Novak Djokovic (+3)
5. Felix Auger-Aliassime (+24)
6. Taylor Fritz (-2)
7. Alex de Minaur (+2)
8. Lorenzo Musetti(+9)
9. Ben Shelton (+12)
10. Jack Draper (+5)
11. Alexander Bublik (+22)
12. Casper Ruud(-6)
13. Daniil Medvedev (-8)
14. Alejandro Davidovich Fokina (+47)
15. Holger Rune (-2)
16. Andrey Rublev (-8)
17. Jiri Lehecka (+11)
18. Karen Khachanov (+1)
19. Jakub Mensík (+29)
20. Tommy Paul (-8)

The post Carlos Alcaraz and Novak Djokovic appear on list of ranking winners as Jannik Sinner drops appeared first on Tennis365.

Former WTA Tour star Anna Chakvetadze has identified the differences between the current generation of women’s tennis — led by Aryna Sabalenka, Iga Swiatek and Coco Gauff — and the era she competed in.

Having turned pro in 2003 and retired in 2013 — at the age of just 26 due to injuries — Chakvetadze’s stellar career took place during a strong period in the women’s game.

The Russian won eight WTA Tour titles and peaked at fifth in the rankings, while she reached the semi-finals of the US Open in 2007 — a career-best year that she ended as the world No 6.

During her prime years in the mid to late 2000s, Chakvetadze faced Serena Williams, Venus Williams, Justine Henin, Maria Sharapova, Martina Hingis, Kim Clijsters, Lindsay Davenport and Amelie Mauresmo — all of whom reached world No 1 and won multiple Grand Slam titles.

Chakvetadze also played Ana Ivanovic, Jelena Jankovic, Dinara Safina, Caroline Wozniacki, Victoria Azarenka and Angelique Kerber — who would all top the rankings in their careers.

In addition, she took on Svetlana Kuznetsova, Anastasia Myskina, Petra Kvitova, Vera Zvonareva and Agnieszka Radwanska — players who peaked at world No 2.

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Since 2020, six women have won multiple Grand Slam singles titles: Naomi Osaka, Ashleigh Barty, Iga Swiatek, Aryna Sabalenka, Barbora Krejcikova and Coco Gauff.

Barty, Swiatek and Sabalenka are the only WTA players to reach world No 1 so far this decade, with Osaka having occupied top spot in 2019.

Sabalenka, Swiatek and Gauff are currently first, second and third in the WTA Rankings, with the leading trio having each won one major in 2025, while Madison Keys won the Australian Open.

Swiatek leads the way with six Grand Slam titles, while Sabalenka has four and Gauff has two.

What did Anna Chakvetadze say about the current WTA generation?

In an exclusive interview, Tennis365 asked Chakvetadze how she compares the current WTA Tour to the era she played in, and whether women’s tennis has improved.

“I feel that today’s WTA Tour has become more even overall,” the former world No 5 said.

“Of course, there are players who clearly stand out because of their physical qualities and athleticism — Aryna Sabalenka, Iga Swiatek and Coco Gauff are all outstanding and very interesting players to watch.

“But in general, the tour feels more balanced than before. At the same time, I would say it has become a bit less diverse in terms of playing styles compared to my era. Has it become more physical? Possibly. But above all, it feels more even.

“Personally, I would love to see more creative players again — more variety in styles and more individuality on tour.”

READ NEXT: Where will Aryna Sabalenka, Amanda Anisimova, Elena Rybakina, Madison Keys start 2026 season?

The post Former world No 5 compares Sabalenka, Swiatek, Gauff to her own era in ‘less diverse’ verdict appeared first on Tennis365.

Emma Raducanu made significant progress in the WTA Rankings in the 2025 season, and she will have the opportunity to continue her climb early in 2026.

The Brit halved her ranking this year as she finished the 2025 campaign as the world No 29, having ended 2024 ranked 58th. This is Raducanu’s best year-end ranking since 2021 — a year she finished as the world No 19 after winning the US Open.

Raducanu‘s current ranking of 29 is her highest position since August 2022 — before the points from her US Open title win dropped. She reached a career-high ranking of world No 10 in July 2022.

The 23-year-old compiled a 28-22 record from the 22 tournaments she played in 2025, and she sits on 1,563 WTA ranking points.

Raducanu’s 2025 season began at the Australian Open after she pulled out of the WTA 250 tournament in Auckland due to a back injury.

She is, therefore, not defending any points until the Australian Open — where she will defend 130 points having reached the third round this year.

This will give Raducanu a good opportunity to increase her points total prior to the season’s first Grand Slam in Melbourne.

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Raducanu will start her 2026 season at the United Cup — a mixed team competition in Australia at which she will be making her debut.

Players have the opportunity to earn up to 500 ranking points at the United Cup, with Great Britain having been drawn to face Japan and Greece in Group E.

In the current WTA Rankings, Raducanu trails Sofia Kenin (No 28) by 26 points, Dayana Yastremska (No 27) by 41 points, Marta Kostyuk (No 26) by 96 points, and Paula Badosa (No 25) by 113 points.

Some strong performances at the United Cup will give Raducanu a great chance of climbing the rankings given her lack of points to defend.

Greg Rusedski has set Emma Raducanu a ranking target for 2026

In an exclusive interview with Tennis365, former world No 4 Greg Rusedski revealed he expects Raducanu to get into the top 20 of the rankings in 2026.

“She has got back to where she is in the rankings and has not played a full schedule,” said the former British No 1.

“So I’d expect her to get back into the top 20 next year and the challenge then is to go beyond that and win titles.

“Tennis players tend to be on a journey. They start by winning smaller events, work their way up the rankings and then they challenge for Grand Slams when they reach the top level.

“Raducanu now has to win tournaments. She needs to get to finals. She hasn’t done that yet and she needs to start building by winning the lesser events on the main tour.”

READ NEXT: Emma Raducanu on player schedule ‘moaning’ & Rafael Nadal’s ex-coach evolving her game

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Billie Jean King won the most famous Battle of the Sexes, and the tennis icon has given her verdict on the controversial upcoming match of the same name between Aryna Sabalenka and Nick Kyrgios.

WTA world No 1 Sabalenka and former ATP world No 13 Kyrgios will meet in a ‘Battle of the Sexes’ exhibition match at the Coca-Cola Arena in Dubai, United Arab Emirates on 28 December. It has been organised by Evolve, a sports agency founded by Naomi Osaka, which represents both Sabalenka and Kyrgios.

The contest will be best-of-three sets, with a 10-point match tiebreak used in place of a third set if required. Each player will be limited to using one serve.

Sabalenka’s side of the court will be 9% smaller, with Evolve saying that data shows female players move about 9% slower than men on average.

The match has drawn criticism, with some expressing concerns that it could have a negative impact on women’s tennis.

Which previous matches have been labelled a ‘Battle of the Sexes’?

Sabalenka and Kyrgios’ showdown will be the fourth match in tennis history billed as a ‘Battle of the Sexes’, with two of them having featured former American player Bobby Riggs in 1973.

Riggs, a Wimbledon and US Open champion, was 55 when he played two legends of women’s tennis: Margaret Court and Billie Jean King.

He crushed a 30-year-old Court 6-2, 6-1 in May 1973 before losing 4-6, 3-6, 3-6 to a 29-year-old King four months later in what was by far the most prominent and significant ‘Battle of the Sexes’ match.

King’s victory, which was watched by an estimated 90 million viewers worldwide, was seen by many as being hugely important for gender equality and women’s sports.

In 1992, 40-year-old Jimmy Connors defeated a 35-year-old Martina Navratilova 7-5, 6-2 in a third ‘Battle of the Sexes’ match played under hybrid rules.

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What did Billie Jean King say about the Aryna Sabalenka-Nick Kyrgios Battle of the Sexes?

Speaking to BBC Sport, King revealed she does not see many similarities between her Battle of the Sexes and the match between Sabalenka and Kyrgios.

“The only similarity is that one is a boy and one is a girl. That’s it,” said King, a winner of 39 Grand Slam titles across singles, doubles and mixed doubles.

“Everything else, no. Ours was about social change; culturally, where we were in 1973. This one is not.

“I hope it’s a great match — I want Sabalenka, obviously, to win — but it’s just not the same.

“Mine was really political. It was rough, culturally, what was coming in with it.  I knew I had to beat him for societal change. I had a lot of reasons to win.”

On whether the match could hurt women’s tennis given Sabalenka’s status as the world No 1, King said: “I don’t know. I’ll have to ask her (Sabalenka) after she plays, but we have never said we are better than men — ever.

“We have talked about our entertainment value — sometimes a women’s match ends up being better than a guy’s match.

“I get upset when people say, ‘you think you are better.’ We have never said that, never.”

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