Overview
- The WTA Board approved a new women’s eligibility policy that took effect on Tuesday, July 21, 2026, requiring a one-time SRY gene screen to confirm biological sex with player screening scheduled to begin in 2026.
- The test can be done by cheek swab, blood or saliva and the WTA says it will run a player engagement program and follow confidentiality and data-privacy safeguards during implementation.
- The policy replaces the 2024 rules that allowed transgender women to compete after a signed declaration plus two years of reduced testosterone below 2.5 nmol/L, removing hormone thresholds as the pathway to eligibility.
- Coverage of the change triggered an optics controversy after Outsports used a photo of Wimbledon champion Linda Noskova for its post, prompting her Instagram question “Why am I here?” and public confusion about the image choice.
- There are currently no known transgender women competing on the tour and experts expect sustained legal challenges, medical scrutiny over intersex cases and close attention to how the WTA stores and handles genetic data.