Ben Shelton Keeps It Real About the Upcoming ‘Battle of the Sexes’ Spectacle
Let’s be honest for a second: the tennis world loves a good gimmick. Whether it’s exhibition matches on floating platforms or players mic’d up during changeovers, we eat it up. But the upcoming “Battle of the Sexes” between Nick Kyrgios and Aryna Sabalenka in Dubai feels less like a tennis match and more like a fever dream cooked up by a marketing team on a caffeine bender. It’s chaotic, it’s confusing, and frankly, I can’t wait to watch it.
Apparently, I’m not the only one analyzing this bizarre event. American tennis sensation Ben Shelton recently weighed in on the December 28th clash, and if you think this is going to be a walk in the park for the ATP bad boy, you might want to check the fine print. According to Shelton, the rules are tweaked in such a way that Kyrgios might actually be in serious trouble.
The Rules Are rigged… Against the Serve-Bot?
Here is the thing about Nick Kyrgios: the man has a serve that could probably punch a hole in drywall. It is his bread and butter, his get-out-of-jail-free card, and usually the reason he stays in matches even when his head isn’t fully in the game. But Ben Shelton—who knows a thing or two about hitting bombs—pointed out a massive handicap that could neuter Kyrgios’s biggest weapon.
In a chat with Front Office Sports, Shelton dropped some intel that changes the whole complexion of the match. Apparently, Kyrgios only gets one serve. That’s it. No faults, no let-cords, no do-overs. If he misses, he loses the point. Sabalenka, on the other hand? She gets the standard two serves.
“You’re taking away the weapon of his first serve,” Shelton noted. And he is absolutely right. Without the safety net of a second serve, Kyrgios can’t just redline his delivery and pray it lands in. He has to play it safer, which essentially forces him into rallies with the current WTA World No. 1.
Oh, and it gets weirder. Shelton mentioned that the court is “9% smaller” on Sabalenka’s side. I’m not entirely sure how the physics of that works without the court looking like an M.C. Escher painting, but if true, it means Kyrgios has less space to defend and smaller targets to hit. It’s like playing a boss battle on ‘Hard Mode’ while your controller is unplugged.
Rust vs. World Domination
Beyond the funky ruleset, Shelton highlighted the glaring difference in current form between the two competitors. To put it mildly, their 2025 seasons could not have been more different.
Aryna Sabalenka has been essentially playing tennis on a different planet than everyone else. She finished the year as World No. 1, bagged the US Open (again), and has been crushing baseline rallies with the kind of ferocity that makes opponents question their career choices. She is locked in.
Conversely, Nick Kyrgios has been… well, being Nick Kyrgios. He’s been battling wrist injuries, knee issues, and generally staying off the tour for the vast majority of the year. Shelton correctly points out that Sabalenka is “very strong from the baseline,” and if Kyrgios is rusty—which, let’s be real, he definitely is—he’s going to get run ragged.
You have the best female player on earth right now, operating at peak efficiency, versus a guy who has played more Call of Duty than professional tennis in the last 12 months. When you look at it that way, Shelton’s skepticism about a Kyrgios victory starts to make a whole lot of sense.
Is It a Sport or Just a Payday?
While Ben Shelton is analyzing the Xs and Os of the court dimensions, others are looking at this with a significantly more cynical eye. Ilana Kloss, a former pro and doubles partner to the legendary Billie Jean King, didn’t mince words about the event. She basically called it exactly what it is: a cash grab.
“I don’t think anyone’s going to take it seriously. Other than them getting a check,” Kloss said. And honestly? She’s probably right. Comparing this to the original Billie Jean King vs. Bobby Riggs match is a stretch. That match had genuine social stakes; this one has energy drink sponsorships and Instagram clout.
But does that matter? Not really. We live for the drama. We want to see Kyrgios smash a racket because he missed his one-and-only serve. We want to see Sabalenka rip a forehand winner and stare him down. It’s entertainment, pure and simple.
The Verdict According to Shelton
Despite the gimmicks—or maybe because of them—Ben Shelton admitted he’s going to be glued to the screen. “It’s definitely something I would tune in to,” he said. And he speaks for all of us. It might be a train wreck, it might be a tennis masterclass, or it might be over in 45 minutes. But with the deck stacked against Kyrgios via these wild rule changes, it’s certainly not a foregone conclusion.
If Shelton is right, we might see the upset of the year happen in an exhibition match that doesn’t count for anything but bragging rights. Grab the popcorn.
