Aryna Sabalenka says it's "unfair" for trans women to compete in professional tennis

Aryna Sabalenka, the current women’s tennis world number one, has voiced opposition to trans women competing in professional tennis, calling their participation “unfair” to cisgender female athletes.

Her comments came during an appearance on Piers Morgan Uncensored ahead of the “Battle of the Sexes” exhibition match against Nick Kyrgios, scheduled for 28 December at Dubai’s Coca-Cola Arena.

When asked about trans eligibility in the women’s category, Sabalenka said:
“That’s a tricky question. I have nothing against them.” She continued: “But I feel like they still got a huge advantage over the women and I think it’s not fair on women to face basically biological men.”

The four-time Grand Slam champion added: “It’s not fair. The woman has been working her whole life to reach her limit and then she has to face a man, who is biologically much stronger, so for me I don’t agree with this kind of stuff in sport.”

Kyrgios echoed her stance, saying: “I think she hit the nail on the head.”

The remarks come amid ongoing debate about inclusion and fairness in sport. Advocates for trans participation argue that exclusionary policies are discriminatory and harmful, while critics claim they compromise competitive integrity.

Currently, the WTA Tour Gender Participation Policy permits trans women to compete if they have identified as female for at least four years; maintained testosterone levels below 2.5 nmol/L for two years; agreed to testing protocols.

These requirements can be adjusted by the WTA Medical Manager on a case-by-case basis. The governing body has not yet commented on Sabalenka’s statements.

In contrast, Britain’s Lawn Tennis Association introduced stricter rules last year, barring trans women from national and inter-club women’s competitions. Similar restrictions have been adopted by several sports federations globally.

The issue has divided tennis legends Martina Navratilova has criticised trans inclusion, arguing in 2019 that self-identification should not grant access to women’s events. Billie Jean King, who famously won the original “Battle of the Sexes” in 1973, has called trans exclusion discriminatory and urged for policies that respect gender identity.

No trans players have competed professionally in recent years. The last was Renée Richards, who played on the WTA Tour between 1977 and 1981.