Sabalenka Says Transgender Rule in Women’s Tennis Not Fair

World No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka has shared her views on the participation of transgender athletes in women’s sports, saying she believes it would be unfair for women to compete against “biological men” in professional tennis. Her comments came during an interview with Piers Morgan, where she stressed that her opinion is based on fairness in competitive sport rather than opposition to transgender individuals.

Under the current WTA Gender Participation Policy, transgender women are allowed to compete if they have identified as female for at least four years, reduced their testosterone to the required level, and follow all medical testing procedures. The WTA also allows its medical team to review special cases individually.

Sabalenka explained that women work for many years to reach the top level in their sport, and she feels it would be difficult for them to compete successfully against athletes who are physically stronger due to male puberty. The Belarusian star, who has won four Grand Slam titles, said she supports equality but believes sports must remain fair for all competitors. She made the comments while discussing her upcoming “Battle of the Sexes” exhibition match against Nick Kyrgios on December 28.

Kyrgios agreed with Sabalenka’s viewpoint, saying that she accurately expressed concerns shared by many athletes. However, there are currently no openly transgender players competing in professional tennis. One known example from the past is Renee Richards, who played on the women’s tour from 1977 to 1981 before later coaching tennis legend and LGBT advocate Martina Navratilova. Navratilova has long voiced concerns about the competitive impact of transgender inclusion in women’s sports.

Meanwhile, tennis icon Billie Jean King holds the opposite view, believing that excluding transgender athletes amounts to discrimination. Similar debates continue across many sports. In 2024, the UK’s Lawn Tennis Association updated its rules to prevent transgender women from competing in national and interclub female categories.

In recent years, several international sports bodies have also adopted new rules, often restricting anyone who has gone through male puberty from competing in elite women’s events. Supporters of these rules argue that male puberty provides long-lasting physical advantages, while transgender rights groups say that excluding trans athletes is discriminatory and harmful.

The issue remains one of the most divisive topics in global sports, with discussions continuing among athletes, federations, scientists, and equality advocates.