Belinda Bencic Sides with Iga Swiatek, Considers ‘Battle of the Sexes’ Match as ‘Something Else’
Belinda Bencic isn't buying the hype of the Battle of the Sexes match.
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Belinda Bencic, Iga Swiatek (images via Wimbledon)
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Many fans never expected the recent Battle of the Sexes exhibition in Dubai to resemble a traditional competitive event. With Nick Kyrgios matched against Aryna Sabalenka, the setup always suggested a high-profile showcase rather than a pure sporting contest, and the outcome quickly became raw material for days of reaction and online debate.
And the fans were not the only ones who rolled their eyes at the spectacle. Swiss tennis star Belinda Bencic has officially weighed in, and she’s not buying the hype. Bencic said in her United Cup press conference:
My personal opinion is that it shouldn’t have been called Battle of the Sexes, because that was something else. Yeah, it was a nice exhibition.
Fresh off her incredible return to the tour, Bencic didn’t hold back when asked about the event. While the marketing team behind the match tried to paint it as some modern-day equivalent of the legendary Billie Jean King vs. Bobby Riggs match, Bencic saw it for exactly what it was: a customized, made-for-TV exhibition designed to sell tickets, not push for equality.
Kyrgios defeated Sabalenka in straight sets, 6–3, 6–3, in the Dubai exhibition. The result came under heavy scrutiny because organizers introduced major rule changes, including a smaller court for Sabalenka of around nine percent and specific limits on serving designed to alter the usual dynamics.
Iga Swiatek and Belinda Bencic shared a similar opinion
Belinda Bencic isn’t alone in holding this opinion. She’s backing up World No. 2 Iga Swiatek, who was even more blunt about her lack of interest. Swiatek admitted she didn’t even bother turning the TV on for it. She told the reporters:
No, I haven’t watched, because I don’t watch stuff like that. I think for sure it attracted, like, a lot of attention. It was an entertainment, but I wouldn’t say that had anything to do with, like, 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.
The Polish superstar shut down the notion that women’s tennis needs mixed-gender gimmicks to remain relevant in 2026. Swiatek noted that the 1973 King vs. Riggs match was about social change and cultural shifts. The 2025 version was apparently all about “entertainment.”
Players like Iga Swiatek and Belinda Bencic have voiced strong opinions on the event, pushing back against the idea that women’s tennis needs such gimmicks for visibility. Swiatek in particular argued that the sport stands on its own merit, questioning the value of exhibitions that modify court dimensions just to manufacture competitiveness.
By brushing this off as mere entertainment, they are effectively saying that the WTA tour provides enough drama and skill on its own without needing to drag Nick Kyrgios out of semi-retirement for clout.
Belinda Bencic focuses on the real comeback
While the media spotlight lingers on the Kyrgios-Sabalenka exhibition, Belinda Bencic is focused on her own impressive accomplishments. She has achieved one of professional sports’ toughest feats, mounting a successful return to elite competition following maternity leave that began after her 2023 season. She said:
Last year, we didn’t expect it to go so well. I’m extremely happy to receive the Comeback Player of the Year award, and now it’s time to do more work and try to get better.
After giving birth to her daughter, Bella, in April 2024, Bencic returned to the court and managed to climb back to World No. 11, which is an absurdly difficult feat. She went from being unranked and out of the game to being a top-tier contender in less than a year.
She was rightfully named the WTA Comeback Player of the Year, a title that actually carries some weight. This is the kind of storyline that tennis fans should be glued to.
The fans have a new mother grinding her way back to the elite level of the sport, kicking off her 2026 United Cup campaign with a solid win. That is the reality of professional tennis. The Dubai exhibition was just a side quest.
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