The Spanish champion has her say on the “friendly” Sabalenka-Kyrgios match: “I have had male sparring matches and I have never managed to win a set against them. The reality is that the 1000th ATP number could be better than a WTA top 10”.
In the transition period between the off-season and the start of the new season there is a hunger for tennis and events, even if unofficial and without points at stake. Attention at the moment is focused on the new “Battle of the Sexes” between Nick Kyrgios and Aryna Sabalenka, which will be staged in Dubai on December 28th. Former world no.1 and Wimbledon winner Garbiñe Muguruza also expressed her opinion on the topic, and on the difference in possibilities between a male and female tennis player: “When I was no.1 in the world, I wouldn’t have beaten a junior”.
differences
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Words that don’t leave much room for the imagination from Muguruza, who, having also been at the top in management roles (she was recently appointed co-director of the Masters 1000 in Madrid) knows well what she’s talking about. “A guy ranked 1000th in the world, or even not ranked, can be much better than a WTA top 10 player,” explains the Spaniard. The past has often demonstrated this, between various more or less famous performances, such as when Serena and Venus Williams lost without appeal at the 1998 Australian Open against the then world no. 203 Karsten Brasch, a player with a smoking habit and already in decline. On the other hand, it’s not just a question of punches, Muguruza underlines: “Male superiority is not only based on power, but also on physical resistance and muscle mass.”
character
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Garbiñe’s point of view is therefore clear: Sabalenka, despite the various adjustments, will start at a disadvantage against Kyrgios. On the other hand, the Spaniard also recounted her experience: “I trained with male sparring partners and I never took a set from them.” But she never took part in performances of this type in her career, which officially ended in 2024. After leaving the court, Garbiñe immediately moved to the desk, becoming director of the WTA Finals. And now, together with the other great ex Feliciano Lopez, she will also be in charge of the Mutua Madrid Open as co-director. First, however, she will be able to celebrate an even happier event: she will soon become a mother for the first time.
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