Aryna Sabalenka Drops Truth Bomb on Trans Athletes in Tennis: ‘It’s Not Fair’

If there’s one thing we know about Piers Morgan, it’s that he knows exactly how to stir the pot. And if there’s one thing we know about World No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka, it’s that she hits hard—both on the court and in interviews. When you put the two of them together, you just know the headlines are going to write themselves.

In a recent sit-down that has the tennis world buzzing, Sabalenka didn’t just tiptoe around the most explosive topic in sports today; she practically served an ace right through the middle of it. The topic? Transgender athletes in women’s sports. Her take? It’s simply not fair play.

Sabalenka Gets Real About Biological Advantages

Let’s be real for a second. Most athletes are trained to give non-answers. You know the type—generic, PR-safe fluff that says absolutely nothing. But Sabalenka decided to go off-script. When Morgan pressed her on the issue, she admitted it was a “tricky question” before diving straight into the deep end.

“I feel like they still got a huge advantage over the women,” Sabalenka stated, referring to trans women competing on the tour. “I think it’s not fair on women to face basically biological men.”

You can almost feel the frustration behind those words. Imagine grinding your entire life—waking up at 5 AM, hitting balls until your hands bleed, sticking to strict diets, and sacrificing your childhood—just to reach the absolute limit of your physical potential. Then, you step onto the court against someone who, biologically speaking, has a different ceiling than you do. That’s the crux of Sabalenka’s argument. She isn’t throwing hate; she’s pointing out the biology.

“The woman has been working her whole life to reach her limit and then she has to face a man, who is biologically much stronger,” she added. “So for me, I don’t agree with this kind of stuff in sport.”

The Irony of the Upcoming “Battle of the Sexes”

Here is where things get a little spicy and arguably ironic. Sabalenka is currently making the media rounds to hype up her upcoming exhibition match against none other than the bad boy of tennis, Nick Kyrgios. The two are set to clash in a “Battle of the Sexes” showdown in Riyadh on December 28.

So, on one hand, Sabalenka is saying it’s unfair to play against biological males in a professional setting where rankings and livelihoods are on the line. On the other hand, she’s voluntarily stepping onto the court to play a biological male for entertainment. It’s a fascinating duality.

For his part, Kyrgios is backing her up 100%. When he heard Sabalenka’s comments, he didn’t hesitate to support his upcoming opponent. “I think she hit the nail on the head,” Kyrgios said. It’s rare to see Nick agree with anyone without a little bit of drama attached, but on this issue, the two stars are in lockstep.

The Current State of the Rules

For those wondering why this is even a debate right now, it comes down to the rules on the books. Currently, the WTA Tour Gender Participation Policy is a bit of a mixed bag. They technically allow transgender women to compete, provided they’ve declared their gender as female for at least four years and have suppressed their testosterone levels.

But as we’ve seen in swimming, cycling, and track, “suppressed testosterone” doesn’t always equal “level playing field” in the eyes of many competitors and fans. Sabalenka is essentially voicing what a lot of the locker room is likely whispering but is too afraid to say out loud.

A History of Controversy

This isn’t the first time tennis has dealt with this. Way back in the late 70s, Renee Richards competed on the women’s tour, sparking massive debates even then. Today, legends like Martina Navratilova are staunchly against trans inclusion in the female category, arguing it erases women’s sports. Meanwhile, Billie Jean King takes the opposite stance, viewing exclusion as discrimination.

It’s a messy, emotional, and complicated battlefield. But right now, Sabalenka is the one holding the microphone, and she’s not afraid to use it. Whether you agree with her or think she’s out of line, you have to respect that she didn’t hide behind a “no comment.”

As we gear up for the 2026 season, don’t expect this conversation to die down. With top players like Sabalenka drawing a line in the sand, the governing bodies of tennis are going to have some serious thinking to do.

What do you think? Is Sabalenka right to call out the biological advantages, or should the sport be more inclusive regardless of biology?