Belarusian tennis player Aryna Sabalenka, the world's No. 1 WTA player, has rejected the participation of transgender women in the women's circuit, calling the possibility unfair in sporting terms. The tennis player expressed her position during an interview with British journalist Piers Morgan, which was published by the Argentine News Agency. The interview took place ahead of the 'Battle of the Sexes' exhibition match, scheduled for December 28 in Dubai, where she will face Australian Nick Kyrgios. Sabalenka argued that the inclusion of transgender players would create a biological advantage over cisgender tennis players and negatively impact competition: 'It's a complicated topic. So, for me, I don't agree with this kind of thing in sports.' Kyrgios supported his colleague's stance and avoided going into further details: 'Yes, I feel exactly the same,' the Australian responded when asked for his opinion during the interview he shared with Sabalenka. The WTA allows transgender women to participate in official tournaments if they comply with a regulation that requires demonstrating a testosterone concentration below 2.5 nanomoles per liter for a minimum of two years prior to registration, and also requests a signed statement accrediting a female or non-binary gender identity according to the organization's current criteria. Currently, there are no transgender players ranked in relevant positions. 'I have nothing against them, but I think they still have a huge advantage over women, and I don't think it's fair for a woman to basically face a man, biologically speaking,' she stated on TalkTV. She then added: 'Women have worked their whole lives to reach their limit and then have to face men, who are biologically much stronger.' The most remembered precedent remains that of American Renée Richards, who competed on the women's circuit from the late 1970s after participating in the men's US Open in previous decades and later worked as a coach on the professional tour.
