As of Tuesday, the women’s tennis tour has made player eligibility contingent completion of a one-time gene test.
According to Jessica Hopkins of The Athletic, citing initial reporting by Bounces, testing is described by the Women's Tennis Association as a “one-time screening process for the SRY gene” that can be conducted via a cheek swab or blood sample.
The SRY gene is involved in male-typical sex development and is found on the Y chromosome. The WTA policy defines it as the gene responsible for turning “undifferentiated gonads into testes rather than ovaries," and the association says such a policy is designed to “preserve the integrity of women’s professional tennis and maintain fair competition conditions.”
There are no known transgender women currently active on the WTA tour, according to Hopkins.
"It is the same eligibility mandate as World Athletics introduced for its competitions last year, and the International Olympic Committee announced for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympic Games," she reported.
The WTA's previous policy, introduced in 2024, permitted transgender women and players who identified as non-binary to compete in WTA events — so long as they declared their gender identity was female or non-binary, and kept the concentration of testosterone in their blood below 2.5 nmol/L when competing and the two years before.
“The WTA recognizes that this is a sensitive and complex issue and is committed to treating all players with dignity and implementing the policy in a respectful and thoughtful way,” the regulations state, per The Atheltic.
“This policy distinguishes between biological sex and gender identity, and between biological females and biological males, solely to the extent necessary to ensure that the policy is clear and has its intended effect. There is no intent to disrespect or question the gender identity or the dignity of any person.”
The WTA expanded to clarify the terms “biological male” or “biological female” are defined by them as the respective possession or absence of the SRY gene.
