WTA Genetic Sex Testing Effectively Bans Trans Women
The Women's Tennis Association's sweeping eligibility update requires all players to undergo genetic sex testing to compete on tour.
In a first for a major professional women’s sports organization, the Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) announced that its new eligibility policy, effective as of July 21, requires all players to pass a genetic sex test in order to compete on tour.
The update is intended, according to the WTA, “to preserve the integrity of women’s professional tennis and maintain fair competition conditions for all players participating in WTA tournaments.”
Eligibility to participate in WTA tournaments — like the upcoming Mubadala D.C. Open — now will be confirmed through a required, one-time screening process for the SRY gene.
SRY (which stands for sex-determining region Y gene) is found on the Y chromosome, usually in males, and is considered one of the molecules important for testis formation. WTA players must submit saliva, a cheek swab or blood sample for genetic analysis to screen for the presence of the SRY gene.
Players who test negative will be permitted to play. If the SRY screen tests positive, the player will not be allowed to compete in WTA tournaments “pending further medical assessment.”
Essentially a trans ban, the updated policy reverses a 2024 WTA rule change which had opened eligibility to all women tennis players, including “biological males (i.e., individuals who have or previously had testes) with a female gender identity or a non-binary gender identity,” who also met certain other physical qualifications.
Last year, the USTA, the national governing body for tennis in the United States, quietly banned transgender athletes from competing in women’s events. In fact, several national governing bodies in sports, including USA Rugby, followed suit with similar bans, compelled to comply with Trump’s Executive Order 14201, or face losing NGB status.
However, the WTA stands alone (for now) among major pro sports leagues with its new policy — which the organization insists is not intended “to disrespect or question the gender identity or the dignity of any person.”
While the sex screening has drawn swift criticism from many tennis fans and pundits, a number of proponents have publicly applauded the move.
At least one prominent figure in the sport expressed her clear support. Tennis legend and queer icon Martina Navratilova took to her social media to proclaim, “WTA supports all women. As in females. Males are free to play in the men’s tournaments however they might identify.”
Responding to a post on X thanking her for persistently advocating on the issue, Navratilova wrote, “I played no part in this particular policy, but am very happy that we at the WTA are clear that we are a women’s association and only women, as in females, can compete at the highest level of women’s tennis.”
Conversely, as one fan on X (@seventhswann) argued, “This is not about protecting women. If it was they would do something about the abuse countless women face on the wta tour. Aside from the fact that there are no trans women on the wta tour, and even if there were trans women on hormones lose the ‘genetic’ advantage.”
There are currently no self-identified transgender players on the WTA tour. No known transgender players have won a WTA title, and that includes Renée Richards, who famously fought and won a landmark court case in the 1970s allowing her to compete in USTA events as a woman.
Notably, Richards, a former Top-20 player, has reconsidered her opinion on the matter, she said recently. In a 2024 position paper, she wrote, “My five-year experience on the tour has influenced my opinion on the subject of transgender participation for sure. When I started, I felt that I did not have any physical advantage over XX biological women.”
As she aged, however, Richards’ experience on tour changed her point of view. “I believe that having gone through male puberty disqualifies transgender women from the female category in sports,” she wrote in her paper. “I believe that a retained physical advantage persists in such individuals and does not allow for an equal playing field despite reducing testosterone levels in the blood.”
The WTA acknowledged in its policy statement that trans women in sports continues to be a sensitive and complex issue, adding, “The WTA is committed to treating all players with dignity and implementing the Policy in a respectful and thoughtful way.” Player screening will begin in 2026, though no exact timelines have been announced.
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