WTA’s new genetic testing rule causes a big reaction, saying “There’s nothing transphobic about a sex test.”
Eighteen-time Grand Slam winner Martina Navratilova has shared her thoughts on the Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) deciding to require genetic sex testing for female players.
The WTA announced on Monday (July 20) that all female players must take a genetic sex test to play on its Tour, including the Australian Open, French Open, Wimbledon, and US Open. The test uses a cheek swab, plus blood and saliva samples, to check for the SRY gene found on the Y chromosome, which causes male traits. Typically, biological females have two X chromosomes, and males have one X and one Y.
Players must also sign a form before testing, and refusing could lead to punishment. The WTA said their policy is meant to ensure fair competition and equal chances for all women in tennis. They mentioned the policy has been reviewed many times since it began in 1975 and was updated after getting input from players and looking at other women’s sports. The new rules, starting in 2026, are based on biological sex.
The WTA understands this is a sensitive topic but promises to treat everyone with respect during testing. Other sports like World Athletics and World Boxing have similar tests now.
World No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka has also spoken out, saying she isn’t against transgender athletes but feels it’s unfair for women to compete against those with male biology, which she believes gives an advantage. She said women train hard to reach their best, but facing biologically stronger men feels unfair to her.
The WTA’s 2024 update requires transgender women to keep their testosterone levels very low for two years to compete, although no transgender players are currently signed to the WTA.
Some people find the new rule controversial, but Martina Navratilova supports it and disagrees with claims that it’s “transphobic” or “invasive.” Replying to fans on X, she said the test is just a quick cheek swab, not invasive, and emphasized that males can still compete in men’s tournaments however they identify.
When someone said collecting this data feels invasive and transphobic, Martina replied it’s not about data collection and joked about other tests being more invasive. Another person commented that sharing genetic data harms player privacy and questioned if Martina took the test herself. She answered yes, saying all women athletes took the test until it stopped around the 2000 Olympics. She hopes the testing will come back stronger in the WTA and beyond, to keep male bodies out of female sports for fair play.