New Delhi: Billie Jean King has never been someone who sugarcoats her words, and she didn’t hesitate when asked about the upcoming exhibition match between Aryna Sabalenka and Nick Kyrgios in Dubai. The event has been marketed under the same ‘Battle of the Sexes’ banner that defined a cultural moment in 1973 but King made it clear that the comparison doesn’t hold up. For her, the only similarity is that” one is a boy and one is a girl”.

King’s straight-sets win over Bobby Riggs more than 50 years ago was watched by around 90 million people and marked a turning point in the fight for gender equality in sport. Her victory came at a time when women were battling for fair treatment, fair pay and legitimacy. That match wasn’t just about tennis; rather, it was a message. And King under

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