Aryna Sabalenka is backing herself to return out on prime in her ‘Battle of the Sexes’ exhibition match towards Nick Kyrgios by embracing the unknown in Dubai.
The ladies’s World No. 1 meets Australian maverick Kyrgios on Sunday, emulating one of the crucial well-known tennis matches in historical past when Billie Jean King defeated Bobby Riggs on the Houston Astrodome in 1973.
The three-set match will use modified guidelines that see every participant restricted to 1 serve solely, Sabalenka’s aspect of the courtroom being shrunk by 9 per cent and a 10-point deciding tie-break if wanted.
The Coca-Cola Enviornment rivals are to place their off-court friendship on pause for the day with Sabalenka assured of her probabilities whereas acknowledging she is coming into unfamiliar territory.
When requested who’s going to win, the 27-year-old four-time Grand Slam winner instantly replied: “Me.
“This occasion is actually unpredictable. I do not know what to anticipate and that is what I like as a result of that is the sensation that you simply chase if you play sport.
“I like to problem myself and it is a enormous problem, particularly taking part in towards Nick, a man who’s unpredictable and loopy.
“It is nice coaching for me and an important message to the women on the market — I hope they are going to see how robust and hard I’m by taking part in towards a man.”
Kyrgios has been restricted to simply 5 singles matches this yr due to accidents, the latest of which was in March, and the 30-year-old is presently ranked 673 on this planet.
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“I’ve seen some fairly scary opponents on my time. I am effectively outfitted and I do know that Aryna has acquired some severe weapons at her disposal,” Kyrgios stated.
“However I’ve come right here ready and prepared. If you understand me, you know the way unpredictable I’m, however I am as effectively ready as I probably could possibly be. I really feel like I will win.
“I have not received a Grand Slam however I’ve walked out in a Grand Slam remaining. That is one thing fully completely different, I do not know the way my physique or my thoughts will react.
“It is a fully completely different vitality. I will carry one thing completely different, for certain. My power has all the time been my unpredictability, even on the lads’s tour.
“Guys like Novak Djokovic, Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal have struggled with not understanding easy methods to play me at sure occasions as a result of even I do not know what I will do at sure occasions.
“I will carry one thing she hasn’t seen earlier than. I am going to play the model of tennis that I do know is efficient.”
