Battle of the Sexes 2025: Can Sabalenka Flip the Script on Kyrgios?
The newest Battle of the Sexes betting lines for the 2025 showdown tip things heavily toward Nick Kyrgios maybe a little too heavily. The question is obvious: can Aryna Sabalenka spoil the script and take down the Aussie showman?
Let’s dig into the Kyrgios vs. Sabalenka odds, look at what actually matters heading into Dubai, and wrap it up with a prediction.
Latest Odds And Why They Feel Lopsided
Kyrgios heads into this one listed at +400, which tennis books translate to an implied 80% chance of victory. Pretty generous for someone who barely plays these days. Sabalenka, sitting at +275 with an implied 26.7%, looks wildly undervalued considering she’s the best player in women’s tennis right now.
The exhibition takes place December 28, 2025, inside Dubai’s Coca-Cola Arena. A few quirks spice things up:
- One serve per point
- Court shrunk by 9%
- Two sets, with a 10-point tiebreak if needed
- Hard court, which should suit both players just fine
If you want the full odds menu, Lucky Rebel has them tucked under: Sports > All Sports (A–Z) > Tennis > A–Z > Exhibition > Battle of the Sexes.
Nick Kyrgios — Healthy? Motivated? Who Knows.
Trying to evaluate Kyrgios has never been easy. His career has been a roller coaster, equal parts brilliance and frustration. Once ranked 13th in the world (October 2016), he’s plummeted all the way down to 666th as of November 28, 2025. That number tells its own story.
His singles résumé remains a collection of “what ifs”:
- Zero Grand Slam singles titles
- Only four Round-of-16+ runs in 32 attempts
- Three quarterfinals
- A dazzling but ultimately losing 2022 Wimbledon final vs. Novak Djokovic
He has tasted major success winning the Australian Open doubles title in 2022 alongside Thanasi Kokkinakis but singles consistency never came.
More worrying is the recent inactivity. Kyrgios hasn’t played since the Miami Open in March 2025, where he beat Mackenzie McDonald before bowing out to Karen Khachanov. He resurfaced briefly in doubles at the D.C. Open with Gaël Monfils, but that Round-of-16 exit in July didn’t exactly silence the rust questions.
Injuries, fitness, and motivation have always been interconnected issues for Kyrgios. And let’s be blunt: you never know what version of him is going to show up or how seriously he’ll treat an exhibition. Betting markets acting like he’s a sure thing? That’s… generous.
Aryna Sabalenka — Underdog on Paper, Force of Nature in Reality
Sabalenka sits atop the WTA rankings and has held the world No. 1 spot since October 21, 2024. Her 2025 season? Nothing short of stellar.
- Most titles: 4
- Most finals reached: 9
- Three Grand Slam finals, including a second straight U.S. Open crown
- Semifinalist at all four majors
- Only real stumble: her loss to Elena Rybakina at the WTA Finals
Her game has evolved, too. The serve which can crack 200 mph remains a wrecking ball, and she finished sixth on tour in aces. From the baseline, she’s steadier than ever, hitting with her trademark violence but far fewer wild lapses.
Against Kyrgios, Sabalenka’s game plan writes itself: make him move. Test his lungs, test his legs, test his willingness to grind. If he’s not fully fit and recent history says he probably isn’t she can make this very uncomfortable for him.
The wildcard, of course, is mindset. Will she treat it as a meaningful showcase, especially given the inevitable gender-debate baggage? Or will she loosen up and treat it as a laugh? Same goes for Kyrgios. The tone each player chooses could decide the entire contest.
Still, as far as underdogs go, the world’s best woman being priced like a longshot feels like a gift.
Prediction: Sabalenka’s Value Is Too Good to Ignore
I didn’t trust a fully fit, fully engaged Kyrgios. So trusting the 2025 version injury-ridden, rusty, and unpredictable feels like a stretch.
Sabalenka at +275 isn’t just tempting; it’s the smart side of the matchup. Kyrgios might mess around with tweeners, trick shots, and mid-point antics depending on his mood. Sabalenka might lighten up too. But she still brings the sharper competitive edge, the cleaner preparation, and far fewer health concerns.
Add it all up, and the value play is obvious.
Pick: Aryna Sabalenka (+275) and don’t be surprised if she controls the match more than the odds suggest.
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