Aryna Sabalenka speaks out against transgender women in tennis
Women’s world number one Aryna Sabalenka has spoken out against transgender women competing in professional tennis, describing their participation as unjust to female athletes, reports BritPanorama.
Her comments come ahead of the much-anticipated “Battle of the Sexes” exhibition contest against Wimbledon finalist Nick Kyrgios, scheduled for December 28 at Dubai’s Coca-Cola Arena. When asked if transgender athletes should be eligible to compete in the women’s category, the Belarusian stated, “That’s a tricky question. I have nothing against them.” However, she expressed concerns about fairness, saying, “But I feel like they still got a huge advantage over the women and I think it’s not fair on women to face basically biological men.”
Sabalenka further emphasised her position: “It’s not fair. The woman has been working her whole life to reach her limit and then she has to face a man, who is biologically much stronger, so for me I don’t agree with this kind of stuff in sport.” Nick Kyrgios, her opponent in the upcoming match, echoed her sentiments, remarking, “I think she hit the nail on the head.”
The match will follow modified rules to address the disparities between male and female players. To level the playing field, Sabalenka’s court area will be reduced by nine per cent, and both competitors will be limited to a single serve per point.
The current WTA Tour Gender Participation Policy allows transgender women to compete if they have identified as female for at least four years and maintained testosterone levels below 2.5 nmol/L for the preceding two years. These protocols remain open to adjustments by the WTA Medical Manager based on individual circumstances.
The governing body did not provide immediate comment on Sabalenka’s remarks. In Britain, the Lawn Tennis Association has implemented stricter measures, preventing transgender women from participating in national and inter-club women’s competitions. This contentious issue has spurred a broader debate in tennis, impacting multiple federations that have revised their policies in the past two years.
Prominent figures in the tennis world remain divided on the matter. Martina Navratilova, an 18-time Grand Slam singles champion, has long opposed the inclusion of transgender athletes in women’s events, while Billie Jean King, who famously triumphed in the original “Battle of the Sexes” in 1973, views such exclusion as discriminatory. Despite ongoing discussions, no transgender players have competed at the professional level in recent years, with Renee Richards standing as a notable exception, having played on the WTA Tour between 1977 and 1981.
This ongoing dialogue highlights the complexity of gender identity in sports, reflecting deeper societal questions that extend beyond the tennis court.
