Nick Kyrgios attacks media ‘brainwashing’ after landmark Dubai match

The humidity inside the Coca-Cola Arena was thick, but the atmosphere was electric. Under the bright lights of Dubai, the sport of tennis witnessed a spectacle that felt less like a traditional tournament and more like a global cultural event.

With sporting icons like Ronaldo and Kaká watching from the stands and tickets fetching upwards of $800, the “Battle of the Sexes” between Nick Kyrgios and Aryna Sabalenka was designed to be a showstopper.

But while the scoreboard read 6-3, 6-3 in favor of the Australian, the real fireworks happened long after the final point was played.

As Kyrgios sat before the media, drenched in sweat and reflecting on a victory that many had written off as a mere gimmick, he didn’t just talk about his serve or the “equalizer” court.

He took aim at what he perceives to be the greatest threat to the modern game. A manufactured divide between the men’s and women’s tours.

“I hate the division in tennis at the moment,” Kyrgios stated flatly, his voice echoing through the press room. “I can’t stand it. I hate that we don’t work together and and this shows that an event like this with two players male and female can still sell out stadiums around the world bring out some of the biggest names in sporting history.”

For Kyrgios, the sell-out crowd in Dubai was the ultimate rebuttal to the critics who had spent months questioning the validity of the matchup.

Since the event was announced, social media and various media outlets have been rife with skepticism, suggesting that an inter-gender match was an affront to the “purity” of the sport. Kyrgios, however, sees this skepticism not as a reflection of fan sentiment, but as a product of media narrative.

“I don’t understand as to why you know we we we had a small comment about this event you know months ago and it’s it’s all that was was talked about and there’s so much negativity and I think it’s actually just you guys first of all the media loves to spread negativity for some dumb reason,” he said, looking directly at the gathered journalists.

The Australian’s frustration stems from a belief that the ATP and WTA tours are often pitted against each other unnecessarily. He argued that the perceived “division” is a ghost, one that players themselves don’t actually recognize or feel in their day-to-day lives.

“The media I think needs to do a better job and stopping all this brainwashing of of this division when there’s none at all,” Kyrgios insisted. “We’re great friends off the court. We have great a great relationship. We’re in the same agency.”

The agency he refers to is Evolve, the powerhouse management group that represents both him and Sabalenka. This shared professional bond, and their genuine personal friendship, highlights a level of collaboration that Kyrgios believes should be the standard for the entire sport, rather than the exception.

To him, the success of the Dubai event proves that there is a massive appetite for seeing the best athletes in the world compete on the same stage, regardless of gender.

“I think more events should be mixed,” Kyrgios suggested. “I love mixed doubles. I play all the mixed doubles events. I love when it’s women and men at events.”

While the match was played with modified rules, including a court that was roughly 9% smaller on Sabalenka’s side and a one-serve-per-point limit, Kyrgios was quick to remind everyone that the level of competition remained elite.

He noted that Sabalenka’s mindset was that of a “phenomenal” competitor, even mentioning how she chose to serve first at the coin toss to show total self-belief against one of the game’s biggest servers.

“It was a really tough match. She is a hell of a player and such a great champion,” he acknowledged. “She broke my serve numerous times, and I had to strap in.”

The narrative of “division” wasn’t just coming from the media, however.

Kyrgios revealed that the pressure to uphold the reputation of the men’s tour followed him right into the locker room. He mentioned that fellow ATP players, including Alexander Bublik, had been messaging him “day in and day out,” telling him that he “couldn’t lose.”

Yet, despite that pressure, Kyrgios remains focused on the bigger picture: the growth of the sport.

He views the Dubai match not as a finality, but as a “stepping stone” toward a more unified future. He believes that by leaning into these experimental, high-profile formats, tennis can capture the attention of a younger, more global audience that cares more about the “show” than the traditional barriers.

As he prepared to leave the arena and look toward his upcoming matches in Brisbane, Kyrgios left the media with a final thought on the evening’s significance.

For him, the “Battle” in Dubai wasn’t about proving who was stronger or faster; it was about proving that the sport is at its best when it stops fighting itself.

“This shows that an event like this… can still sell out stadiums,” he concluded. In his eyes, the fans have already spoken. Now, he’s just waiting for the rest of the tennis world to listen.