Overview
- Jessica Pegula confirmed late Wednesday that the WTA has started administering the mandated one-time SRY gene test at the Cincinnati Open and said players reported the process was simple.
- The July policy change requires every player to submit to a single genetic screen for the SRY marker, which can be done by cheek swab or blood sample and replaces the tour’s prior testosterone-based eligibility rules.
- Leading players are split: Aryna Sabalenka has publicly supported the rule as necessary for fairness while Coco Gauff has voiced concern that testing fuels hostility toward the transgender community.
- Advocacy groups including the Sport & Rights Alliance and ILGA World have called on the WTA to drop or rethink the measure, saying it is discriminatory, risks stigma and may not be mitigated by confidentiality promises.
- Scientists including Andrew Sinclair warn a single-gene test oversimplifies biological sex and can misclassify intersex people, leaving the rollout open to medical critique, privacy questions and likely legal or human-rights challenges.