"Just Not Fair To Women" – Aryna Sabalenka x Nick Kyrgios Face Battle Of The Sexes

Podcast: Piers Morgan Uncensored
Host: Piers Morgan
Guests: Aryna Sabalenka (Women's World #1 Tennis Player), Nick Kyrgios (ATP Pro)
Date: December 9, 2025

Overview

In this lively episode, Piers Morgan sits down with Aryna Sabalenka and Nick Kyrgios ahead of their much-hyped "Battle of the Sexes" tennis match in Dubai. The discussion encompasses gender dynamics in elite sport, the impact of exhibition matches, media criticism, the contentious issue of trans athletes in women's sports, and candid exchanges about personal rivalries, motivation, and tennis's biggest names. The tone is playful, irreverent, and at times pointed, offering behind-the-scenes insight into the personalities and opinions driving one of tennis’s most headline-grabbing events.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Upcoming Battle of the Sexes

• Context & Stakes

  • Piers frames the match as both an echo of historic gender showdowns in tennis and a fresh, high-profile spectacle. He notes the inherent pressures, especially for Kyrgios, given his ranking drop and Sabalenka’s top status ([00:23], [03:06]).
  • Piers Morgan: “If you get taken down by a woman, you're gonna throw the biggest tantrum of your life.”—[00:00]
  • Nick Kyrgios: "If I go down, this one might be…the one that hangs the rackets up for good."—[00:04], [03:38]

• Rule Modifications

  • The match introduces a 9% smaller court for Sabalenka and a single-serve rule, intended to adjust for physical disparities ([04:32]).
  • Sabalenka pokes fun at Kyrgios for insisting she only gets one serve, suggesting he felt threatened by her powerful game—"[05:04] Originally I had two serves, but then he got so stressed that he took away serves."

2. Physical Differences & Limits of Competition

• Acknowledgment of Biological Differences

  • Both athletes candidly address the reality of the male physical advantage in tennis.
    • Sabalenka: "Physically they're much stronger. Speed, power of the balls, everything is much stronger. So it's tough to compete." ([06:28])
    • Kyrgios: "There would be guys [in the top thousand] that would get extremely nervous, extremely tight…if they don't have a big serve and they get into the rally…her ball speed…is as big as some of the guys." ([08:05])

• Competitive Predictions

  • Both express respect for each other’s abilities, but also realism about the likely outcome.
  • Kyrgios: “It's a lose, lose situation over here.” ([03:06])
  • Sabalenka: “If we play like full court, full rules, yeah, it will be really tough for me to compete against guys. ... But in these conditions... maybe I have a bit higher chance.” ([06:28])

3. Purpose & Value of the Exhibition

• Both Kyrgios and Sabalenka see the match primarily as a vehicle to grow the sport and provide entertainment, rather than as a pure contest for supremacy.
  • Kyrgios: “Our goal is to try and grow the sport. ... What other sport in the world where you can have your favorite female player and some of your favorite male players on the same court? ... It's actually quite historical.” ([08:05])

4. Media & Social Critique

• The exhibition match has drawn both support and criticism, with some suggesting it risks belittling women's sports.
  • Piers Morgan quotes The Guardian: “A massive opportunity for women's sport to be belittled, dismissed and gloated over by incels and career misogynists...” ([09:27])
  • Sabalenka responds: “We're just bringing our sport to the next level… the visibility that this event got… is incredible.” ([09:54])
  • Kyrgios on mixed-gender events: "When men and women are now doing more of these things together, I think it's a sign that the sport is actually moving in a positive way..." ([12:28])

5. The Trans Athletes in Women’s Sport Debate

• Piers raises the contentious issue in the wake of the physical debate.
  • Sabalenka: “They still got huge advantage over the woman. ...I think it's just not fair to a woman to basically face like a biologically man...so for me, I don't agree with this kind of stuff in sport.” ([13:55])
  • Kyrgios: “Yeah, I feel the exact same way, to be honest.” ([14:32])

6. Responding to Accusations of Biological Advantage

• Sabalenka addresses claims by fellow player Marta Kostyuk that she has a biological edge due to higher testosterone.
  • Sabalenka: “All I hear here is just excuses. ... She’s a strong girl. She probably has more muscles than I do.” ([15:01])
  • Kyrgios: "Someone like John Isner was a fair bit bigger than Roger Federer."—debunking the idea that one type of physique is 'unfair' ([15:29])

7. Personalities, Rivalries, and Banter

• The dynamic between the three is playful and competitive. Piers repeatedly pushes Kyrgios, urging Sabalenka to beat him.
• Both athletes joke about stress levels, public pressures, and being role models.
  • Sabalenka: “I'm going to send some people, make sure that he's, like, out partying and not really ready.” ([28:53])
  • Kyrgios: “She's richer, she'd be richer than most, but...everything now is an absolute bonus for me, regardless of the money.” ([29:06])

8. On Justice and Fairness in Tennis

• Discussion about Novak Djokovic, rules enforcement, and whether stars are treated differently.
  • Sabalenka: “I believe in clean sport and I also believe that everyone have to be treated the same.” ([22:08])
  • Kyrgios: “...the way the case was handled as a whole ... wasn't a good look for the sport...We should be able to know exactly what's going on.” ([25:06])

9. Goat Debates and Tennis Legends

• Both agree Novak Djokovic is currently the greatest male tennis player.
  • Kyrgios: “Yeah, Novak's the goat.” ([26:32])
  • Sabalenka: “If we’re talking numbers, for sure Serena [is the greatest woman]. ... My favorite is Steffi Graf.” ([26:54])

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Piers Morgan (to Kyrgios, about facing Sabalenka):

  “If you get taken down by a woman, you're gonna throw the biggest tantrum of your life.” — [00:00]

• Nick Kyrgios (on the implications of losing):

  “If I go down, this one might be…the one that hangs the rackets up for good.” — [00:04]

• Aryna Sabalenka (on court modifications):

  “Originally I had two serves, but then he got so stressed that he took away serves.” — [05:04]

• Sabalenka (about trans athletes):

  “I think it's just not fair to a woman to basically face like a biologically man...so for me, I don't agree with this kind of stuff in sport.” — [13:55]

• Kyrgios (on the purpose of the match):

  “It's actually quite historical and I’m looking at it as a blessing to go out and share the court with the world number one.” — [08:05]

• Sabalenka (on role models):

  “I take it as, you know, I'm an inspiration for the young kids there...I want them to think that they also can do that.” — [19:29]

Timestamps for Key Segments

• Battle of the Sexes setup, historical context: [00:23]–[03:06]
• Rules & fairness parameters for the match: [04:32]–[05:48]
• Open discussion on women vs men in tennis: [06:05]–[08:05]
• Media criticism and defense of exhibition: [09:27]–[12:58]
• Trans athletes debate: [13:55]–[14:42]
• Personal banter and lighthearted rivalry: [28:50]–[31:46]
• Predictions for the match: [30:13]–[31:42]

Predictions for the Match

• Kyrgios: “A tight two set battle…first set, I'm gonna be nervous...7-5, then 7-5, 6-3.” — [30:24]
• Sabalenka: “I'll win the first set. Seven-six…and then I'm gonna get him six-three.” — [31:03]

Conclusion

The episode offers an unfiltered, highly entertaining look at the motivations, anxieties, and camaraderie between two top tennis personalities ahead of a groundbreaking exhibition. Sabalenka and Kyrgios are both self-deprecating and confident, frank about the realities of their sport but adamant that such spectacles are progressive and inspiring. Morgan, as ever, goads, teases, and extracts blunt opinions, particularly around sensitive topics like fairness, gender, and the state of equity in sport.

For anyone curious about the intersection of sport, gender, and media spectacle, or looking for a taste of the personalities behind the headlines, this conversation is a must-listen.