“I think it's quite offensive”

Scheduled for December 28 in Dubai, the demonstration duel between Aryna Sabalenka and Nick Kyrgios it evokes various reactions. The Belarusian, in particular, has been criticized for taking part in this unprecedented event, with the main accusation being that she will compromise women's tennis if she loses to Kyrgios.

The Australian has not played an official match since March, when he lost in the second round of the Masters 1000 in Miami, but his return is eagerly awaited, having been conditioned by numerous injuries and physical problems in recent years.

One of the “Sabalenka-Kyrgios” talking points comes from the original Battle of the Sexes series in the second match Billie Jean King beating him 6-4, 6-3, 6-3 on Bobby Riggs on September 20, 1973. Even King said it was not the same thing. At the time, she was fighting for social change and for women to have equal opportunities.

“The only similarity is that one is a boy and the other is a girl. so much“, King told the BBC. “Otherwise, no. Our showdown was about social change. This is not.

Billie Jean King and Bobby Riggs in 1973 Photo: Imago Images

I hope it's a great match – obviously I want Sabalenka to win – but it's just not the same. Mine was really political. It was tough, culturally. I knew I had to defeat him for social change. I had many reasons to win”, concluded the legendary 82-year-old champion.

Roger Rasheed: 'I think it's a lose-lose situation for women'

His former coach Lleyton Hewittwhile he reached the final of the 2005 Australian Open, Roger Rasheedwho successfully trained and Gael Monfils, Jo-Wilfried Tsonga and Grigor Dimitrovqualified as “offensive” the upcoming “Battle of the Sexes” between Aryna Sabalenka and Nick Kyrgios.

Rasheed said that this is about much more than tennis and that holding such a match made a mockery of women's tennis and that it is not a win-win situation for the sport as Aryna believes.

“To be honest, I'm not a fan of this match”Rasheed told ABC Sport.

“I'm quite disappointed that it's happening. I think Nick's management put this show on. The field is 9% smaller on one side because apparently the data shows that women's displacement during the game is 9% lower,” he added.

Aryna Sabalenka Photo: Guliver/GettyImages

“The Billie Jean King vs. Riggs feud was about something else… To be honest, I'm not a fan of it. I think it's a lose-lose situation for women… In fact, I think it's quite offensive. I don't see where there is a minute, a second of victory for the number one player in the world. If you represent Sabalenka commercially, is this a place you would want to be?” he asked.

“I'm not taking any risks. We're there to have fun and provide quality tennis. Whoever wins wins. It is obvious that the man is biologically stronger than the woman, but that is not the point. This event will only help raise women's tennis to a higher level”, insisted Aryna Sabalenka earlier this week.