The Women's Tennis Association introduced a sex-testing policy governing which players may compete in the women's game, a move some left-leaning commentators reportedly expected to provoke anger from leading players. Instead, several top-ranked women have publicly backed the rule, undercutting the narrative that female athletes would revolt against it.

World number one Aryna Sabalenka voiced support for the WTA's stance, drawing praise from women's sports advocates such as Paula Scanlan, a former swimming teammate of transgender athlete Lia Thomas. The debate sits alongside wider rows over sex eligibility in sport, including comparisons drawn to tennis great Martina Navratilova's criticism of basketball star Caitlin Clark for staying neutral on the issue, which Navratilova branded a "bailout".