Kyrgios beats Sabalenka in latest 'Battle of the Sexes' in tennis

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — Nick Kyrgios won the latest version of the “Battle of the Sexes” in tennis, beating top-ranked women’s player Aryna Sabalenka 6-3, 6-3 in an exhibition match that represented light entertainment rather than another landmark moment for gender equality.

There was laughing and joking between the players, some under-arm serves, over-the-top grunting on shots, and even some dancing from Sabalenka during a timeout to entertain the crowd at the 17,000-seat Coca-Cola Arena in Dubai — where the most expensive tickets sold for approaching $800.

Kyrgios, the 2022 Wimbledon runner-up who has played only six tour-level matches in the last three years because of wrist and knee injuries, appeared to play within himself at times and faced the disadvantage of Sabalenka’s side of the court being nearly 10% smaller in an attempt to level the playing field. The players were only given one serve per point, rather than two.

Kyrgios was drenched in sweat by the time he clinched victory off his third match point and the pair were all smiles when they embraced at the net.

Kyrgios acknowledged feeling nervous and having to “strap in.”

“I think this is a great stepping stone for the sport of tennis,” the Australian said.

Sabalenka said the match was good prep for next season, with the Australian Open coming up in January, and would like to play Kyrgios again to exact “revenge.”

“Really enjoyed the show," she said, "and I feel like next time I play him I'm going to know the tactics, his strengths and his weaknesses, and it's going to be a better match, for sure.”

The so-called “Battle of the Sexes” was a name borrowed from the 1973 match between Billie Jean King and Bobby Riggs, which King won in straight sets in the Houston Astrodome and took place amid King’s efforts to start a female tour and get equal pay in tennis.

Fifty-two years on and the latest iteration had no real wider cultural significance. Instead, Sabalenka and Kyrgios — members of the same agency, Evolve, that arranged the exhibition — just wanted to put on a show, engage a younger audience and make some money.

Kyrgios might be regarded as a controversial choice to play in such a match, given he pleaded guilty to shoving a former girlfriend to the ground during an argument in 2021 — he escaped conviction on a charge of common assault — and has previously expressed his opposition to equal pay in tennis.

AP tennis: https://apnews.com/hub/tennis

Aryna Sabalenka makes her way to the court for the Battle of the Sexes match between Aryna Sabalenka and Nick Kyrgios in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, Sunday Dec. 28, 2025. (Amr Alfiky/Pool Photo via AP)

Aryna Sabalenka returns the ball to Nick Kyrgios during their Battle of the Sexes match in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, Sunday Dec. 28, 2025. (Christopher Pike/Pool Photo via AP)

Nick Kyrgios reacts during his Battle of the Sexes tennis match against Aryna Sabalenka, in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, Sunday Dec. 28, 2025. (Amr Alfiky/Pool Photo via AP)

Nick Kyrgios, left, and Aryna Sabalenka interact at the net during their Battle of the Sexes match, in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, Sunday Dec. 28, 2025. (Christopher Pike/Pool Photo via AP)

Aryna Sabalenka and Nick Kyrgios laugh ahead of their Battle of the Sexes tennis match in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, Sunday Dec. 28, 2025. (Amr Alfiky/Pool Photo via AP)

MILAN (AP) — Italian soccer is in crisis on and off the field, with another refereeing scandal emerging on the heels of the men's team's repeated failure to qualify for the World Cup.

Gianluca Rocchi, the head of referees in Serie A and Serie B, has been placed under criminal investigation for alleged sports fraud and will appear in court in Milan on Thursday.

Also under investigation is VAR supervisor Andrea Gervasoni.

Rocchi, who has been accused of influencing VAR decisions and altering the selection of referees, has stepped away from his role while awaiting further developments.

“We have a duty to guarantee that the soccer system ensures transparency and equal treatment,” Serie A president Ezio Simonelli said in a statement. “Trusting in the work of the competent bodies, it cannot be a notice of investigation that calls into question the intellectual honesty and the work of an entire system.

“If it turns out that someone made a mistake, it will be right for them to pay. But it is never allowed to question the credibility of the system and the regularity of the championship.”

Rocchi is under investigation for incidents during the 2024-25 season. He allegedly interfered with VAR protocols during a Serie A match between Udinese and Parma on March 1, 2025, by banging on the window of the VAR booth and recommending that the officials call for an on-field review of a penalty.

Italian media reports that Rocchi’s selection of referees is also being examined amid suggestions he changed the official for an Inter Milan match to one who was more favorable towards the Nerazzurri.

Inter, which finished a point behind Serie A champion Napoli, has not been implicated.

The Italian soccer federation (FIGC) investigated a complaint against Rocchi for the VAR booth incident last year but dismissed disciplinary proceedings in July. However, the issue has resurfaced with the launch of the criminal investigation.

FIGC Prosecutor Giuseppe Chiné said he is in contact with the public prosecutor’s office in Milan and will reconsider reopening the FIGC investigation if new evidence emerges.

Italian soccer was already in crisis after the national team failed to qualify for a third straight World Cup, prompting the resignations of FIGC president Gabriele Gravina and coach Gennaro Gattuso earlier this month.

AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer

FILE - Referee Gianluca Rocchi holds the ball during a Serie A soccer match between Juventus and Roma, at the Allianz stadium in Turin, Italy, Saturday, Aug.1, 2020. (AP Photo/Luca Bruno, File)