Aryna Sabalenka supports WTA’s new transgender eligibility rules
World No 1 Aryna Sabalenka has thrown her support behind the WTA’s controversial new transgender eligibility rules, insisting mandatory sex testing is necessary to ensure fairness in women’s tennis, reports BritPanorama.
The four-time Grand Slam champion spoke on the governing body’s new policy ahead of the North American hard-court swing, asserting that the changes are a positive step for the sport.
The WTA confirmed that its updated regulations will come into effect on Tuesday, introducing a one-time genetic test for the SRY gene, which is associated with biological sex determination. Players will have the option to complete the screening via a cheek swab or a blood test.
This new framework replaces previous eligibility rules, which allowed transgender women to compete in WTA events provided they declared their gender as female and maintained testosterone levels below a specified limit for at least two years prior to competing professionally.
Sabalenka expressed her support for the decision, stating she would willingly undergo the testing herself. “It’s very important to maintain fairness in our circuit,” she commented. “It’s obvious that, biologically, men are much stronger than women, so it wouldn’t seem fair to me for a woman to compete against a biological man.”
She acknowledged that it took the WTA time to arrive at this point, adding, “But I’m concentrating on myself, on my goals, on whatever it takes. If you want to test us all, I will gladly do so.”
The Belarusian also discussed her response to her unexpected exit from Wimbledon, where she suffered a straight-sets defeat to Naomi Osaka in the fourth round, despite having triumphed in all three previous encounters against Osaka earlier in the season.
The loss coincided with a mixed first half of 2026 for Sabalenka, during which she reached the Australian Open final and secured titles at Indian Wells and Miami but fell short in the quarter-finals at the French Open.
As the US Open approaches, Sabalenka revealed she has simplified her game in preparation. “It’s a routine returning to hard courts,” she explained, emphasizing the focus on basic techniques and rallying.
With her considerable success on hard courts, where she has won all four of her Grand Slam titles, she is expected to be a formidable contender again this year.
Looking ahead, she aims to defend her title in New York and is also eager to partner with Novak Djokovic in the revamped mixed doubles competition, expressing her excitement about the challenge ahead.
As sports intertwine with complex social issues, Sabalenka’s remarks underscore the ongoing dialogue within athletics about gender identity and fairness, reflecting the multifaceted challenges that lie ahead for professional sports.
