Women’s tennis players must take one-time gene test for eligibility

The Women's Tennis Association announced an updated eligibility framework for female tournament participation, effective immediately with implementation beginning in 2026. Under the new policy, all players seeking to compete on the women's professional tour must complete a single genetic screening for the SRY gene, which indicates biological sex. The test can be administered through either a cheek swab or blood sample, with the WTA emphasizing that the process will incorporate confidentiality protections and data privacy safeguards.

This policy represents a significant shift from the WTA's previous approach, which permitted transgender women to compete provided they declared their gender identity as female and maintained testosterone levels below a specified threshold for two years prior to competition. The organization stated that no transgender women are currently competing at any professional tennis level.

The change aligns with similar measures adopted by other international sports bodies. World Athletics and World Boxing have introduced comparable genetic testing protocols, while the International Olympic Committee established in March that only athletes whose biological female status is confirmed through one-time testing would be eligible for female category events at the Olympic Games.

The policy has generated differing perspectives within the tennis community. Some athletes and commentators, including world number one Aryna Sabalenka, have expressed concerns about competitive fairness. Conversely, figures such as 12-time Grand Slam champion Billie Jean King have characterized transgender exclusion as discriminatory. Transgender advocacy organizations contend that excluding transgender athletes constitutes discrimination, while critics of transgender inclusion cite musculoskeletal advantages acquired during male puberty as a persistent competitive factor.