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

What the report says

Al Jazeera, citing Reuters, reported that the Women’s Tennis Association has revised its eligibility rules so players must complete a one-time genetic screening to compete on the women’s tour. The WTA said the test will look for the SRY gene, which is associated with biological sex determination, and may be done through a cheek swab or a blood sample. The policy was announced Sunday and is due to take effect Tuesday, with screening beginning in 2026.

Under the prior WTA approach, transgender women could enter the women’s category if they identified as female and kept testosterone below a required level for two years before competition. The article noted that there are no known transgender women currently competing at any professional level in tennis. A WTA spokesperson told Reuters that the process would include confidentiality and data privacy protections, along with player engagement, and said the organization recognized the issue as sensitive and complex.

The move places women’s tennis within a broader shift in elite sport, where governing bodies have increasingly revisited eligibility for female categories. Al Jazeera reported that World Athletics and World Boxing have introduced comparable gene-testing rules, and that the International Olympic Committee said in March that female-category Olympic eligibility would be limited to biological female athletes verified through a one-time test.

The issue remains deeply contested. Supporters of tighter rules argue that male puberty can create physical advantages not fully removed by transition, while transgender advocacy groups and some athletes view exclusionary policies as discriminatory. The article cited Renee Richards’ historic participation on the women’s tour and noted sharply differing views among tennis figures including Martina Navratilova, Aryna Sabalenka and Billie Jean King.