The Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) has announced a revised eligibility policy requiring players to undergo a one-time genetic screening to compete on the women’s professional tour.
The new rules, which come into effect on July 21, require testing for the SRY gene, a genetic marker associated with biological sex.
The organisation said testing will begin with strict confidentiality and data privacy measures in place, alongside a comprehensive player engagement programme.
Under the previous policy, transgender women were eligible to compete if they declared their gender as female and maintained testosterone levels below the required threshold for at least two years before participating. The WTA noted that there are currently no known transgender women competing at any level of professional tennis.
A WTA spokesperson stated that eligibility for tournaments will now be determined through the mandatory SRY gene screening process. The organisation added that it recognises the issue is sensitive and complex and is committed to treating all players with dignity while implementing the updated policy in a respectful and thoughtful manner.
The move follows similar eligibility measures adopted by several international sports governing bodies, including World Athletics and World Boxing, which have introduced genetic screening requirements in recent years.
In March, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) also announced that only biological female athletes whose sex has been confirmed through a one-time test would be eligible to compete in the women’s category at the Olympic Games.
The debate over transgender participation in women’s sport has remained highly divisive. Former professional player Renee Richards, a transgender woman, competed on the WTA Tour between 1977 and 1981 before coaching tennis legend Martina Navratilova.
Navratilova, an 18-time Grand Slam singles champion, has publicly opposed the inclusion of transgender women in women’s sport, while world number one Aryna Sabalenka previously remarked that it would be unfair for women to compete against transgender players.
Others, including Billie Jean King, the 12-time Grand Slam singles champion and winner of the historic 1973 ‘Battle of the Sexes,’ have argued that excluding transgender athletes amounts to discrimination.
Transgender advocacy groups have also criticised such policies, saying they discriminate against transgender athletes. Supporters of the restrictions, however, argue that athletes who have gone through male puberty retain physical advantages in strength and musculoskeletal development that are not fully removed through gender transition.
The WTA added that he updated policy will be introduced with appropriate safeguards and that the changes are intended to provide a clear and consistent eligibility framework for competition on the women’s professional tour.
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