Despite being an undeniable talent, Aryna Sabalenka lost a ton of fans heading into the 2026 season.

When it comes to overall production, Sabalenka is undoubtedly one of the best in the business. She's a four-time Grand Slam champion who has handled the pressure of being the No. 1 ranked player in the world. So why are fans upset with her? Well, it's because she competed against Nick Kyrgios in a "Battle of the Sexes" exhibition match.

Kyrgios, a former Wimbledon finalist, defeated Sabalenka 6-3, 6-3 at the Coca-Cola Arena in Dubai.

Fans weren't necessarily disappointed by Sabalenka's performance. What bothered them is that she agreed to face Kyrgios. They believe it was a terrible look for women's tennis.

"Congratulations to Aryna Sabalenka for embarrassing women's tennis," one fan wrote on X.

"Sorry but I’ll never forgive Aryna Sabalenka for what she’s done to women’s tennis," a second fan commented. "I’ve lost any and all respect I ever had for her."

"A big thank you to Aryna Sabalenka for setting women's tennis back 52 years," another fan said. "Hope it was worth the cash and the publicity."

"Aryna Sabalenka utterly embarrassing the entirety of women’s tennis in pursuit of fueling her own ego, victim complex and bank balance," a social media user added.

And that's all she wrote!

Nick Kyrgios defeats Aryna Sabalenka to win the Battle of the Sexes 👏 pic.twitter.com/9Yysdt6F5V

— Tennis Channel (@TennisChannel) December 28, 2025

Kyrgios fires back at Sabalenka's critics.

Shortly after Kyrgios defeated Sabalenka in straight sets, he called out those ripping the reigning US Open champion.

"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," Kyrgios said, via Reuters. "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."

Do you think Sabalenka messed up by participating in the "Battle of the Sexes" match?

This story was originally published by The Spun on Dec 30, 2025, where it first appeared in the Tennis section. Add The Spun as a Preferred Source by clicking here.