With Aryna Sabalenka and Nick Kyrgios set to play in a Battle of Sexes match in Dubai, a long history of men's and women's tennis matches can be revealed.
Dating back more than 100 years, frequent tennis encounters involving both sexes have been scheduled - usually for marketing purposes.
From the most famous encounters involving Bobby Riggs in the 70s, to the challenge laid down by the Williams sisters in 1998 - gender competition has always been a topic that interests fans.
AllSportsPeople looks at the results of all the men vs. Women tennis matches over the years.
MORE: Nick Kyrgios vs. Aryna Sabalenka date: When will Battle of the Sexes be played?
Battle of the Sexes: Notable men's vs. Women's tennis matches
| Match | Year | Result |
| Bill Tilden vs. Suzanne Lenglen | 1921 | Tilden 6-0 |
| Helen Wills Moody vs. Phil Neer | 1933 | Moody 6-3, 6-4 |
| Bobby Riggs vs. Margaret Court | 1973 | Riggs 6-2, 6-1 |
| Billie Jean King vs. Bobby Riggs | 1973 | King 6-4, 6-3, 6-3 |
| Jimmy Connors vs. Martina Navratilova | 1992 | Connors 7-5, 6-2 |
| Karsten Braasch vs. Serena Williams | 1998 | Braasch 6-1 |
| Karsten Braasch vs. Venus Williams | 1998 | Braasch 6-2 |
| Yannick Noah vs. Justine Henin | 2003 | Noah 4-6, 6-4, 7-6 |
| Johanna Konta vs. Pat Cash | 2017 | Konta 6-3 |
| Aryna Sabalenka vs. Nick Kyrgios | 2025 |
Bill Tilden vs. Suzanne Lenglen - 1921
| Set 1 | |
|---|---|
| Bill Tilden | 6 |
| Suzanne Lenglen | 0 |
In the first publicised match between men and women tennis stars, Bill Tilden and Suzanne Lenglen played a single set match in the early 1920s.
Tilden finished his career with 10 grand slam titles, while Lenglen won eight and has a court at Roland-Garros named after her.
Helen Wills Moody vs. Phil Neer - 1933
| Set 1 | Set 2 | |
|---|---|---|
| Helen Wills Moody | 6 | 6 |
| Phil Neer | 3 | 4 |
Moody was the reigning Wimbledon champion and she took down Neer, who was ranked eighth in the world at the time.
Moody and Neer were also friends and occasional mixed doubles partners.
Bobby Riggs vs. Margaret Court - 1973
| Set 1 | Set 2 | |
|---|---|---|
| Bobby Riggs | 6 | 6 |
| Margaret Court | 2 | 1 |
In the first 'Battle of the Sexes' contest that was marketed to the masses, 55-year-old Riggs defeated Court, who won the Grand Slam in 1970.
Riggs won the Wimbledon men's singles title in 1939.
Billie Jean King vs. Bobby Riggs - 1973
| Set 1 | Set 2 | Set 3 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Billie Jean King | 6 | 6 | 6 |
| Bobby Riggs | 4 | 3 | 3 |
After defeating Court, Riggs was immediately challenged by Billie Jean King - the women's no.1 player at the time.
King easily won the match across three sets.
Jimmy Connors vs. Martina Navratilova - 1992
| Set 1 | Set 2 | |
|---|---|---|
| Jimmy Connors | 7 | 6 |
| Martina Navratilova | 5 | 2 |
At Caesars Palace in Las Vegas, 40-year-old Connors defeated 36-year-old Navratilova.
The Czech star was allowed two serves to one and was allowed to play to the doubles court.
Karsten Braasch vs. Serena and Venus Williams - 1998
| Set 1 | |
|---|---|
| Karsten Braasch | 6 |
| Serena Williams | 1 |
| Set 1 | |
|---|---|
| Karsten Braasch | 6 |
| Venus Williams | 2 |
Serena and Venus Williams claimed they could beat any man outside the top 200 during the 1998 Australian Open.
The challenge was accepted by 203rd ranked German player Braasch, who defeated the sisters back-to-back in exhibition matches at Melbourne Park.
Yannick Noah vs. Justine Henin - 2003
| Set 1 | Set 2 | Set 3 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Yannick Noah | 4 | 6 | 7 |
| Justine Henin | 6 | 4 | 6 |
In a match that wasn't serious at all and saw Noah where a dress, the 43-year-old retired player defeated 21-year-old Henin.
Noah mainly played trick shots and slices during the match.
Johanna Konta vs. Pat Cash - 2017
| Set 1 | |
|---|---|
| Johanna Konta | 6 |
| Pat Cash | 3 |
Ranked No.9 at the world in time, Konta defeated 52-year-old retired Australian major winner Pat Cash.
The match was held on indoor carpet at Westfield London Shopping Centre.
When is the 'Battle of the Sexes' between Nick Kyrgios and Aryna Sabalenka?
Kyrgios and Sabalenka will compete in the 'Battle of the Sexes' exhibition tennis match on December 28.
The contest will be held at the 17,000 capacity Coca Cola Arena in Dubai, United Arab Emirates.
What Kyrgios said about the match
“When the world number one challenges you, you answer the call,” 30-year-old Kyrgios said.
“I’ve got massive respect for Aryna, she’s a powerhouse and a true champion, but I've never backed down from a challenge and I'm not just here to play, I’m here to entertain—Dubai, get ready for a show.”
What Sabalenka said about the match
“I have so much respect for Billie Jean King and what she has done for the women’s game,” Sabalenka said on announcement of the season-ending match.
“I’m proud to represent women’s tennis and to be part of this modern take of the iconic Battle of the Sexes match.”