Brisbane, Jan 1 World No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka has made it clear she wants another crack at Nick Kyrgios after falling to the Australian in round two of the much-talked-about “Battle of the Sexes” match.
The pair faced off in Dubai on Sunday, with Kyrgios coming out on top with a 6-3, 6-3 victory after a competitive, entertaining match. However, Sabalenka competed on a court that was reduced by nine per cent to account for the differences in movement and speed between male and female players.
Reflecting on the contest, the Belarusian said she would prefer a revised setup if the matchup were to happen again, particularly regarding court dimensions and serving rules.
"I think I would definitely do it again. I love revenge, and I don't like to leave it the way it is. I think for the next match we will come up with a different format. Before the match I didn't realise I would have to adjust, and it was a bit tricky for me. I think I would keep the full court, but I would take two serves. That would even our level a lot more,” Sabalenka said on Thursday ahead of her title defence at the Brisbane International.
She added that the experience gave her valuable insight into Kyrgios’ game and strengthened her belief that she could perform better in a rematch.
"I always say that when you are losing, you are learning and I learned a lot about his game. I know Nick as a player and a person better and I feel I know how to play against him. I would do it again. I need revenge," she added.
Despite the loss, Sabalenka took pride in pushing Kyrgios to his limits and said she enjoyed making him work hard for the win. She also extended her best wishes to him as he prepares to compete in Brisbane.
"I am happy that I was able to challenge him, make him work and make him physically get tired and mentally get tired. I felt really excited to see a man getting tired and going for his full game. It was a really cool experience and I really hope he will do well here in Brisbane and play incredible tennis in the Australian Open," she said.
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