Australian tennis star Nick Kyrgios confessed to feeling significant pressure and nervousness during his high-profile exhibition match against WTA World No. 1, Belarusian Aryna Sabalenka. The highly anticipated “Battle of the Sexes” ended with Kyrgios securing a straight-sets victory (6/3, 6/3).
Was I nervous? Absolutely, I was nervous. I think few people would willingly raise their hand to be in that kind of position, especially given my current status. Aryna was fully prepared for this challenge. The score was actually much closer than it looked on paper. I felt intense pressure—she nearly got the break back. When the crowd starts supporting her, everything can change in an instant.
The Australian emphasized the emotional weight of the widely discussed encounter, particularly considering his recent time away from the court due to injury.
I was genuinely nervous. The entire world has been talking about this specific match for the last six months. If you remember where I was two years ago—I couldn`t even properly use my right arm—to return to the court and compete against such a great tennis player like Aryna, honestly, it’s a very emotional experience.
Marcus Prine