From Reuters
Dubai, United Arab Emirates (Reuters) — Nick Kyrgios beat Aryna Sabalenka 6‑3 6‑3 on Sunday in a “Battle of the Sexes” exhibition match billed as a modern take on Billie Jean King’s famous win over Bobby Riggs over 50 years ago, but one that ignited controversy over its relevance and meaning.
The clash between four-times Grand Slam champion Sabalenka and former world number 13 Kyrgios was billed as entertainment but critics warned that it risked reducing women’s tennis to a sideshow and trivializing its progress toward equality.
The match that gave the event its name was the 1973 “Battle of the Sexes” when women’s tennis pioneer King beat 55-year-old former Grand Slam winner Riggs, who had said that the standard of women’s tennis could never match that of the men’s game.
King told the BBC that although this year’s clash carried the same tagline, it lacked the stakes of her showdown with Riggs, a contest she described as a fight for social change in a vastly different cultural era.
“I don’t think many people would have put their hand up to be in this position, especially in my position,” Kyrgios said.
“Obviously, Aryna was up for the challenge. The scoreline was closer than it was. I was under the pump there … and then anything happens once the crowd gets behind it. I was nervous.”
Playing in front of a sold-out crowd at Dubai’s Coca-Cola Arena, Kyrgios negotiated the slightly smaller “equalizer” court on women’s world number one Sabalenka’s side to secure victory after an entertaining contest played under modified rules.
With a one-serve-per-point rule in effect, both players faltered on their deliveries in crucial moments before Kyrgios broke for a 4-3 lead and went on to take the opening set.
The maverick Australian was drenched in sweat and appeared out of breath in the second set after going 1-3 down, while his opponent danced to the music during a strategic timeout, but he persevered to make it 3-3 after Sabalenka sent a shot long.
Unlike Riggs, who had long retired from the men’s tour when he took on fellow American King, Kyrgios is an active player on the ATP Tour even though his recent seasons have been blighted by a succession of wrist and knee injuries.
The former Wimbledon runner-up, a major draw on and off the court with his natural talent and charisma, managed only five professional singles matches in 2025.
‘Great Opportunity’
“It was a really tough match,” Kyrgios added.
“She’s a hell of a competitor and such a great champion. Obviously, she’s a multiple Grand Slam champion. And I didn’t really know what to expect.
“As I said before this whole event, whatever role I was to play, it was another great opportunity to go out here. She broke my serve numerous times. And honestly, I had to strap it because she was putting the pressure on; hitting amazing shots. I would love to play her again and showcase her talent and also what I have left in the tank. Ultimately, it was a really hard-fought battle and there were breaks back and forth.
“Seeing someone as great as Aryna out here, and myself, it truly is a spectacle and I think this is a great moving stepping stone forward for the sport of tennis.”
Kyrgios, who shortened the points with cheeky drop shots and used variations on his serve to good effect, pulled away and sealed the victory on serve before sharing a warm embrace with Belarusian Sabalenka at the net.
“I think I put on a great fight,” Sabalenka said.
CNN
By Michelle Watson, Cindy Von Quednow, CNN
(CNN) — More than 30 million people are under winter weather alerts across the Midwest and Northeast early this week with another storm threatening to upend travelers’ plans on what is expected to be one of the busiest travel days this holiday season.
At least 2 million people are under blizzard warnings in the Midwest, where winds could gust from 40 to 60 mph. Those wind gusts could blow heavy snow around, reducing visibility to less than a quarter of a mile in many warning areas.
More than 9,000 flights within, into or out of the US are delayed Sunday, with more than 700 cancellations, according to FlightAware.
A ground stop was issued at Chicago O’Hare International Airport Sunday evening due to thunderstorms, according to the Federal Aviation Administration.
A long stretch of I-35 is closed from Ames, Iowa, up through the Minnesota border, and I-35 in Minnesota is listed as “Travel Not Advised,” according to the Iowa Department of Transportation.
As of Sunday evening, more than 85,000 customers were without power across the Upper Midwest and Great Lakes regions, according to poweroutage.com. Michigan had the largest number of outages, making up over half of that number.
New England will see rain and freezing rain late Sunday into Monday, but the Ohio Valley and I-95 corridor will see mostly rain.
And in the central and southern US, temperatures will go from 20 to 30 degrees above average this weekend to 10 to 15 degrees below average on Monday and Tuesday. The threat of storms as well as damaging winds and possible tornadoes in the South also increased Sunday afternoon.
The worst conditions will be Sunday afternoon through the overnight hours across the Midwest. The National Weather Service office in Des Moines, Iowa, “discouraged” those traveling Sunday into Monday.
“Dangerous travel is expected for much of the next 24 hours! Blowing snow will lead to whiteout conditions over northern Iowa Sunday and Sunday night,” the Weather Service said in a post on X. “Travel in this area is discouraged!”
Additionally, a tornado watch was issued for parts of Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky and Missouri until 8 p.m. CT Sunday, according to the Weather Service.
Parts of Tazewell County in Illinois suffered significant damage to property, trees and power lines as strong thunderstorms, including a tornado, rolled through Sunday afternoon, according to Tazewell County Emergency Management.
Mount Zion, a town in Macon County, Illinois, also saw tornado damage Sunday afternoon. “We’ve got damag