World number one tennis star Aryna Sabalenka has waded into the contentious debate surrounding transgender athletes in women’s sport. She stated that biological men competing against women creates an unfair advantage that undermines years of dedicated training.
During an appearance on Piers Morgan Uncensored, where she was promoting her upcoming exhibition match against Nick Kyrgios in Dubai, Sabalenka was asked about the Women’s Tennis Association’s policy allowing trans women to compete in its events. The Belarusian champion didn’t mince words in her response.
“I have nothing against them, but I feel like they still got huge advantage over women,” Sabalenka stated. “I think it’s just not fair to women to basically face like a biologically man. It’s not fair like the woman been working the whole life to reach her limit and then she has to face like a man which biologically much stronger.”
Her comments align with those of tennis legend Martina Navratilova, who has been vocal in her opposition to the WTA’s current stance on trans athletes.
Sabalenka’s fellow guest, Nick Kyrgios, immediately voiced his agreement, saying he felt “the exact same way” and that Sabalenka had “hit the nail on the head.”
The discussion arose naturally from the premise of the upcoming exhibition match itself—a modern “Battle of the Sexes” that highlights the physical disparities between male and female athletes.
To make the competition more balanced, organizers have implemented accommodations including a nine percent smaller court for Sabalenka to defend and restrictions on serves.
When asked how many men in the top thousand she could defeat under normal conditions, Sabalenka was pragmatic: “Physically they’re much stronger. Speed, the power of the balls, everything is much stronger. So it’s tough to compete.” She estimated she might win against some male players who lack powerful serves, but acknowledged the significant physical advantages men possess.
Kyrgios supported this assessment, noting that while there are inherent advantages for male players, he has “no doubt” Sabalenka could beat guys in the top thousand, particularly those who might get nervous facing the world number one.
While Sabalenka emphasized having nothing personal against transgender individuals, her position centers on competitive fairness—a concern shared by many female athletes who fear losing opportunities they’ve spent lifetimes pursuing.
