World No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka addressed the WTA’s updated transgender eligibility policy during her Canadian Open press conference in Montreal, openly sharing her views on the new guidelines. The Belarusian star backed the policy, which has faced criticism from pro-trans activists.
The WTA introduced a mandatory one-time genetic test for all players starting July 21 as part of the new eligibility rules. The test checks for the presence of the SRY gene, a DNA segment commonly associated with the Y chromosome. Sabalenka, returning to competition after her post-Wimbledon break ahead of the North American hard-court season, was asked by reporters about her thoughts on the controversial policy.
Aryna Sabalenka Backs WTA’s New Genetic Testing Policy as Fair
Sabalenka was asked about the WTA’s new testing policy during the final question of her Canadian Open press conference. The world No. 1 shared her support for the move, saying she believes maintaining fairness in women’s competition is important. She said, “I think it’s really important to keep the fairness in our tour. It’s obviously, biologically, the men are way stronger than women, so I feel like it would be not really fair for the woman to compete against biological man.
The Belarusian star added that she believes the decision took time but backed the WTA’s approach. “I believe it took them a little while to make this decision and, yeah, I support it. But for me, I’m focusing on myself, on my goals, you know, whatever it takes. If they want to test us all, I’m happy to do that; it’s pretty fair, and let’s keep it that way.”
Sabalenka’s comments came after the WTA introduced mandatory genetic testing as part of its updated eligibility policy. The new guidelines have sparked debate across the sporting world, with supporters arguing that the rules aim to protect competitive fairness in women’s tennis.
Sophie Cunningham’s Views Ignite Discussion Across the WNBA Community
Beyond the tennis world, a similar trend has emerged across sports, with some athletes choosing to speak openly on controversial issues rather than relying on carefully prepared statements. Earlier this summer, Indiana Fever guard Sophie Cunningham became part of a wider debate after sharing her views on transgender participation in women’s sports, drawing strong reactions from both supporters and critics.
Cunningham said she wanted to protect opportunities in women’s sports and stood by her comments despite the backlash. Her remarks led to public discussions, protests and demonstrations around WNBA games, with fans expressing both support and disagreement. The debate also brought renewed attention to Cunningham after her viral on-court “finger point” moment with DeWanna Bonner became a widely shared social media moment.
