671st-ranked men’s tennis player dominates top-ranked woman in match highlighting biological advantage

Top-ranked women’s tennis player Aryna Sabalenka lost an exhibition match to men’s player Nick Kyrgios in Dubai last weekend, showcasing what athletes, including Sabalenka, say is male biological advantage.

Kyrgios, currently ranked No. 671 on the men’s side and sidelined by injuries for several seasons, beat Sabalenka 6-3, 6-3 in a “Battle of the Sexes” exhibition modeled loosely on the famous 1973 match between Billie Jean King and Bobby Riggs. 

Organizers attempted to narrow the competitive gap by requiring Kyrgios to play on a slightly smaller court. However, Kyrgios still won easily.  

Former NFL kicker and Arizona Republican congressional candidate Jay Feely said the match reinforced concerns many parents and athletes have raised for years. 

“Please don’t ever believe the absolute garbage coming from ignorant liberals that letting men compete with women isn’t unfair to the women,” Feely said. 

Sabalenka and Kyrgios defended their participation while each supporting restrictions on males in women’s divisions.  

In the lead up to the match, Sabalenka publicly opposed policies allowing trans-identifying males to compete in women’s sports. In an interview with Piers Morgan, she said biological differences matter. 

“I have nothing to do against them, but I feel like they still got huge advantage over the woman, and I think it’s just not fair to a woman to basically face a [biological] man,” Sabalenka said. “It is not fair like the woman has been working her whole life to reach her limit and then she has to face like a man, [who] is biologically much stronger. So for me I don’t agree with this kind of stuff in sport.” 

Kyrgios, who sat beside her during the interview, agreed with her assessment while still defending the exhibition match. 

“I’m sure the next time we do it … it will be a cultural movement and a step in the right direction,” Kyrgios said. 

After her loss, Sabalenka told reporters, “He won this match, but I showed great tennis. It wasn’t like 6-0, 6-0; it was great. It was interesting to watch.”