Tennis legend Martina Navratilova has been an outspoken advocate for fairness in women’s sports. She has long argued that eligibility for women’s sports should be based on biological sex rather than gender identity.
Previously, the WTA permitted transgender women to compete after meeting testosterone-suppression requirements. However, a new policy has come into effect, requiring a one-time genetic test for the SRY gene for players competing on the women’s tour. The WTA reportedly wants “to preserve the integrity of women’s professional tennis and maintain fair competition conditions for all players…”
Navratilova welcomed the change in policy but also turned down the tweet that thanked her for making this happen.
“I played no part in this particular policy, but am very happy that we at the WTA are clear that we are a women’s association and only women, as in females, can compete at the highest level of women’s tennis,” Navratilova wrote on X.
Not all fans were happy with this change, though, as controversy erupted on X soon after the policy was announced.
The new policy will be in effect from Tuesday.
“Player screening will begin in 2026, following all appropriate confidentiality and data privacy safeguards and concurrent with a comprehensive player engagement program,” a WTA spokesperson told Reuters. “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.”
WTA now joins other international bodies, including World Athletics, World Boxing, and the International Olympic Committee, which have also taken measures to ensure fairness in women’s sports.
Martina Navratilova Asks For “Let” Serve Rule to be Scrapped at Wimbledon
Last week, during the match between Karolina Muchova and Coco Gauff in the semifinal of the Wimbledon championship, Martina Navratilova was behind the mic for BBC coverage. During a moment in the game, Gauff’s first serve hit the net cord, and she got her serve back.
Navratilova expressed her dissatisfaction with the “Let” serve rule, claiming that it is a hindrance to the speed of the game.
“Do away with that let cord, you know I talk about it all the time. Nobody’s moving forward on that; get rid of it, it’s useless!” Navratilova said. “No, play the let, play the ball, it’s a live ball. Every once in a while, you get that dribbler that would be an ace, but that happens once every three matches, so just play. Most of the lets are just a little nick, keep playing, speed up the game.”
Navratilova has been after changing this particular rule for 20 years, as she once reminded on the Tennis Channel in October 2023:
“Been screaming that for about 20 years!!! NO MORE LETS!!!!” Weissman explained: “It happens in every other part of the game other than the serve. No more lets.”
Apart from Navratilova, another tennis legend, John McEnroe, is also in favor of playing the ‘lets.’
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