04/01/2026

theSun on Sunday JAN 4, 2026

SPORTS 11

SUNDAY | JAN 4, 2026

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’Women’s tennis does not need Battle of the Sexes ’

SIX-TIME Grand Slam champion Iga Swiatek yesterday said she saw lit tle point to the “Battle of the Sexes” match and that women’s tennis has nothing more to prove. World No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka and Australian Nick Kyrgios faced off in a highly publicised and controversial exhibition match in Dubai a week ago. It bore little resemblance to the era-defining 1973 “Battle of the Sexes” encounter between Billie Jean King and Bobby Riggs. Back then, there was more at stake with the nascent women’s professional tour, set up by King, fighting for legitimacy and prize money. “I haven’t watched because I don’t watch stuff like that,” world No. 2 Swiatek said in Sydney, where she opens her season at the United Cup. “I think for sure it attracted a lot of attention. It was entertainment, but I wouldn’t say that had anything to do

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men’s and women’s tennis. “I think actually events like this one, United Cup, brings tennis together, and WTA fans and ATP fans can watch this event with so much excitement,” she said. “Seeing also singles players that usually don’t have space to play mixed doubles together, playing these kind of matches, I think this is actually what makes our sport much more interesting and better.” Ties at the United Cup comprise one men’s and one women’s singles and a mixed doubles, with group winners in each host city – Perth and Sydney – advancing to the quarter finals along with the best runners up. – AFP

with social change or any important topics. “I think the name was just the same as the one from the Billie Jean King match in ‘73. That’s it. There were no more similarities because I feel like women’s tennis stands on its own right now. “We have so many great athletes and great stories to present, we don’t necessarily need to compare to men’s tennis. “Honestly, there doesn’t need to be any competition.” The Polish star, who is preparing for the Australian Open this month, the only Grand Slam she is yet to win, said the mixed-teams United Cup was a better way to celebrate

‘Chaotic mess’ Kyrgios determined to enjoy himself after injuries

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A PHILOSOPHICAL Nick Kyrgios (pic) said yesterday he had been a “chaotic mess” throughout his career and now just wants to enjoy himself when he returns to the tour this week. The temperamental 2022 Wimbledon finalist, one of ten nis’s most dynamic players when at the top of his game, makes his comeback at the season-opening Brisbane International. The 30-year-old Australian has slipped to 671 in the world after an injury-ravaged three years which saw him play only six sin gles matches on the ATP Tour. Speaking ahead of his opening round match, Kyrgios said he was feeling fit and had been playing as well as ever in the build-up. “I think after every injury I have had the last couple of years, and to see how quickly something can be snatched away from you, I have a day-by-day mindset,” the

very sporadically on the ATP Tour in recent years, Kyrgios beat women’s world number one Aryna Sabalenka last week in a “Battle of the Sexes” exhibition match in Dubai. Kyrgios could yet be offered a wildcard to play singles at the Australian Open this month. “Considering how much travel I have had the last month and how much tennis I have played, this is as good as I could feel,” he added. “I think a lot of stress has kind of gone from my life and I feel a lot better. “I guess my goal is to leave Brisbane with a sense of: that was a fun week, you gave everything you had and whether you came up short or not, you gave a good show to the people. “I’m just really looking forward to going out there and competing at the highest level again. It’s all a blessing at this point.” – AFP “Sometimes it gets too bad to play through, but that was really the focus of the six weeks (off-sea son), just doing a lot of rehab and strengthening, and trying to lay out a base where I can maybe start to get it better. “Maybe a couple of months into the season I can be over it.” Fritz opens his 2026 campaign at the mixed-teams United Cup in Perth, leading Team USA alongside Coco Gauff, before the Australian Open in Melbourne from Jan 18. – AFP

former world No. 13 said. “I don’t know if I’m a player that needs to prove himself any more than he has. I just want to get through this and be happy with my performance. “Ultimately I just want to go out there and put on a show for the crowd and for the fans and the people, to be honest. “I have no agenda and I don’t care what my ranking is, don’t care what titles I win. I just want to go out there and give the people a good show. “That’s ultimately I guess what I’ll go down as, as an entertainer and someone who just was a bit of a chaotic mess, but an entertainer at the end of the day.” Kyrgios, who was granted a wildcard to play in Brisbane, begins his tour comeback against US world number 60 Aleksandar Kovacevic. Although he has featured only

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Fritz struggling with ‘serious tendonitis’ WORLD NO. 6 Taylor Fritz says he is battling a knee issue ahead of the Australian Open, spending much of the off-season trying to fix the problem. and rehab my knee. I still have pretty serious tendonitis and that’s something that takes a really long time to get rid of.” Despite the inflammation linger

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ing, the American said he does not feel it was serious enough yet to warrant a complete break from the tour. “The demands of playing make it a lot harder to get rid of it, but at the same time I don’t really want to go full stop for four months to try to get it better when I feel like I can sometimes play through it,” he said.

The American had a rock-solid 2025, winning in Eastbourne and Stuttgart and qualifying for the ATP Finals, despite dealing with ten donitis. “I couldn’t really (target) any thing,” he said on the ATP Tour website on what he worked on dur ing the off-season. “My goal was really just to try

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