The WTA is adopting SRY genetic testing to protect fair competition in women’s professional tennis
Supreme Court upholds state ban on natural boys in girls’ sports
The Supreme Court has issued a landmark ruling, upholding a federal ban that prevents naturalized boys from competing in girls’ sports. Justice Brett Kavanaugh’s opinion emphasizes natural gender, while Justice Sonia Sotomayor’s dissent argues that the decision fails to protect transgender students. The decision drew both celebration from female sports advocates and criticism from the Democratic Women’s Caucus.
The Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) has become the latest sports organization to require players to undergo genetic testing to determine their eligibility to compete in the women’s division.
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The WTA’s revised women’s eligibility policy requires players to be tested only once for the SRY gene, which is located on the Y chromosome and is involved in normal male sexual development. Testing can be completed using a cheek swab, blood test or saliva sample.
Close up of tennis balls on the court during the Enka Open WTA 125 qualifying match on July 16, 2026, in Istanbul, Turkey. (Ferda Demir/Getty Images)
Players who are found to be negative for the SRY gene will immediately be eligible to compete on the WTA Tour. A positive result will prompt a medical examination before the player is cleared.
Players must also sign documents acknowledging that refusing testing could result in disciplinary action.
“The WTA Women’s Eligibility Policy is designed to promote equal athletic opportunities in women’s professional tennis and to maintain fair competition for all players participating in WTA tournaments,” the official policy states.
The WTA said the policy was approved following consultation with its members and a review of evolving eligibility standards across women’s international sports.
Detail of female player with racket and ball near net on tennis court. (Getty Images)
The previous policy, last updated in 2024, allowed transgender men to compete with women if they maintained testosterone levels below 2.5 nmol/L for at least two years. There are no known men currently competing on the WTA Tour.
“The WTA recognizes that this is a serious and complex issue and is committed to treating all players with dignity and applying the policy in a respectful and considerate manner,” said the governing body.
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The WTA joins a growing number of athletics bodies, including World Athletics and World Boxing, in implementing mandatory SRY genetic testing for athletes who want to compete in the women’s division.
The International Olympic Committee has announced plans to use sex testing at the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.
Former Czech tennis player Martina Navratilova receives the golden racket during the Italian tennis matches at the Foro Italico. Rome (Italy), May 21, 2023. (Massimo Insabato/Archivio Massimo Insabato/Mondadori Portfolio via Getty Images)
Tennis legend Martina Navratilova hailed the WTA’s decision as a “step in the right direction” on Sunday.
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“I didn’t participate in this specific goal, but I’m very happy that we at the WTA are clear that we are a women’s organization and only women, as in women, can compete at the highest level of women’s tennis,” Navratilova wrote in X.
The new policy will come into effect on Tuesday.
