Major women’s tennis stars are lining up behind a new gender screening policy, and the reason is simple: they want the women’s game kept fair. The WTA’s July rule now requires a one-time SRY gene test, and several top players are saying the move makes sense in a sport where physical differences can matter a lot.
Jessica Pegula, the world No. 3 and top American, said she sees the policy as part of a broader shift across sports. After winning at the National Bank Open in Toronto, she said she had no real objection to the test and viewed it as an update that reflects where other organizations are headed.
Aryna Sabalenka was even more blunt. The women’s world No. 1 said fairness has to come first, pointing out that men are biologically stronger on average and that it would not be right for biological males to line up against women in competition.
The new test looks for the SRY gene, which is linked to male sex development. A positive result would sideline a player while a further medical review is carried out, giving the WTA a tool to screen eligibility before anyone steps onto the court in a women’s event.
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The policy is a sharp break from the tour’s earlier approach, which allowed transgender males to compete after lowering testosterone for two years. The WTA said the change was meant to protect fairness and preserve the integrity of the sport, and that message has clearly resonated with some of its biggest names.
Sabalenka said she was fine with being tested if that is what it takes to keep the playing field level. She described the decision as fair and said the tour should stick with it rather than wobble under pressure.
The WTA’s move also lines up with a similar rule already adopted by the International Olympic Committee for women’s events at the 2028 Los Angeles Games and beyond. That makes the tennis decision part of a much larger push in elite sports to draw a harder line around women’s competition.
Coco Gauff also backed the testing, though she added a softer note when talking about the broader debate. She said she understands the need to protect the biological differences that exist in sport, while also saying the issue has stirred a lot of anger toward the trans community.
That tension has been building across women’s athletics, and tennis is only the latest arena where it has spilled into public view. The conversation has picked up even more steam after WNBA player Sophie Cunningham sparked attention with comments saying biological males should not compete against females because of the physical advantage men possess.
Cunningham stood by that position and said it came down to common sense. She also tied the issue to protecting girls and young women, saying she would continue to back what she said without backing down.
Martina Navratilova, one of the most famous names in women’s tennis and an LGBT advocate, has also drawn a line on this issue. She has argued that men competing in women’s sports is cheating and unfair, and she publicly backed Cunningham after the WNBA player’s remarks stirred up backlash.
Navratilova recently wrote that transgender males are men who “decide to be female,” a blunt phrase that shows how much the debate has hardened. Her stance has put her in the unusual position of defending women’s sports while still being a visible voice for LGBT causes, which only adds more weight to the growing split over where the line should be drawn.
