WTA in radical move as genetic sex testing enforced despite no known trans players on tour

The Women's Tennis Association reportedly will force all WTA stars to undergo genetic sex testing in order to maintain their eligibility on the WTA Tour in a move likely prompted by the threat of trans women in women's sports.

This has seen the IOC for instance enforce rules that they cannot compete in the gender they switch to and this has been carried over for a lot of sports. It has never been a problem in tennis yet, but it seems the WTA are awaiting it potentially becoming one.

There are no known transgender women currently active at any level of professional women's tennis and there haven't been any for nearly half a century with Renee Richards being the last.

She made international headlines in her fight to compete in the women’s draw of the 1977 US Open. This marked the first time a trans athlete sued to participate in professional sports in the gender category with which they identify. Martina Navratilova ironically who has been the leader in fighting against trans women in sports beat her in the final of the doubles. Aryna Sabalenka has also spoken out about it during her Battle of the Sexes media tour.

As per Bounces, ran by prominent tennis journalist Ben Rothenberg, this move has seen contracts sent out to players to force them to do this testing. The WTA board have decided to heed the growing traction towards this in sports and take their own stand. Starting this month, the WTA requires all of its players to undergo genetic testing to highlight any women who may have a genetic marker that suggests traces of male biology.

Albeit this in itself makes the WTA the first independent professional women's sports league to make this mandatory. “I acknowledge that if I fail to undergo [genetic sex testing] as requested by the WTA or compete in a WTA Tournament in which I, to my knowledge, am ineligible to compete under this Eligibility Policy, the WTA may take disciplinary action against me…I further acknowledge and agree that such action may result in (among other things) a specified period of ineligibility to participate in WTA Tournaments, which may lead to the reason for my ineligibility becoming public knowledge or being the subject of public speculation," the piece of a new document sent to players as per Bounces.

It is an interesting debate either way and one heading into the US swing that no doubt will become a talking pointas to any players perhaps who aren't wanting to do it or are against doing it.