As the pro tours has concluded their proper seasons, the world’s top tennis players are now engaging in a festive exhibition swing before the holidays. While there will certainly be some high-level play, this is mostly entertainment for fans around the world. The month of December is packed with showcase events, featuring current World Number 1s, former Grand Slam champions and other fan favorites.
At last week’s Charlotte Invitational we saw Venus Williams, Madison Keys, Taylor Fritz and Frances Tiafoe while The Atlanta Cup gave us some glimpses of Ben Shelton, Kyrgios and Sabalenka.
New Jersey arranged A Racquet on the Rock with Alcaraz, Tiafoe, Amanda Anisimova and Jessica Pegula among others. The Miami Invitational, playing Monday 8th, will feature Alcaraz vs Fonseca for a first ever meeting.
The Garden Cup, NY
The action culminates in two major upcoming spectacles: The Garden Cup in New York and the modern revival of the Battle of the Sexes in Dubai.
Today, The Garden Cup takes center stage at the Madison Square Garden. The evening features an interesting match between Sabalenka and four-time Grand Slam champion Naomi Osaka. On the men’s side, showman Nick Kyrgios faces American Olympic medalist Tommy Paul. The night will wrap up with a mixed doubles match. The exhibition format allows the players to train and stay sharp while trying to entertain the crowd.
Battle of the Sexes, Kyrgios vs Sabalenka
Later this month, some interest will turn to Dubai for a historic, and debatable, event. Aryna Sabalenka and Nick Kyrgios will face off in the Battle of the Sexes on Dec 28th. This match revives the famous format from past events with the inclusion of special rules.
To balance the physical differences between the players, the match will be played with modifications. Sabalenka’s side of the court will be slightly reduced in size, and both players will be limited to a single serve.
This matchup has divided opinions and there are quite many on the negative side… BBC will show the event and for many of us, it does not make much sense, especially not for women’s tennis. Kyrgios is now down to 672 in the rankings and has played six real matches in the last three years, he’s basically a retired tennis player. With any result in Dubai on the 28th, it doesn’t really prove anything and it’s hard to see any positive outcomes from organising this match.
Other multi-day events, including the Tennis Premier League and World Tennis League, will also keep fans busy throughout the holiday period.
And of course, don’t miss the Next Gen Finals, the only truly interesting event coming up before the new season starts in January.
