Women's world number one Aryna Sabalenka has spoken out against transgender women competing in professional tennis, describing their participation as unjust to female athletes.
The comments come ahead of the much-anticipated "Battle of the Sexes" exhibition contest against Wimbledon finalist Nick Kyrgios, scheduled for December 28 at Dubai's Coca-Cola Arena.
When asked if transgender athletes should be eligible to compete in the women's category, the Belarusian said: "That's a tricky question. I have nothing against them."
She added: "But I feel like they still got a huge advantage over the women and I think it's not fair on women to face basically biological men."
The four-time Grand Slam champion said: "It's not fair. 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, so for me I don't agree with this kind of stuff in sport."
Sabalenka was joined by Nick Kyrgios, who agreed with his future opponent's view, adding: "I think she hit the nail on the head."
The two players made their positions clear during an appearance on Piers Morgan Uncensored, which was broadcast on Tuesday.
The best-of-three-sets match, organised by Evole, will feature modified rules to account for physical differences between male and female players.
Women's world number one Aryna Sabalenka has spoken out against transgender women competing in professional tennis
|GETTY
Sabalenka's court area will be reduced by nine per cent to compensate for movement-speed disparities.
Both competitors will also be limited to a single serve per point.
The WTA Tour Gender Participation Policy presently allows transgender women to compete provided they have identified as female for at least four years, maintained testosterone levels below 2.5 nmol/L for the preceding two years, and consented to testing protocols.
These requirements may be adjusted by the WTA Medical Manager depending on individual circumstances.
LATEST SPORT NEWS
The comments come ahead of the much-anticipated 'Battle of the Sexes' exhibition contest
|GETTY
The governing body did not immediately respond to requests for comment on Sabalenka's remarks.
In Britain, the Lawn Tennis Association introduced stricter measures last year.
They prohibited transgender women from participating in national and inter-club women's competitions.
Numerous other sporting federations have similarly revised their policies over the past two years.
The debate over transgender inclusion in tennis has divided prominent figures in the sport.
Nick Kyrgios agreed with his future opponent's view
|GETTY
Martina Navratilova, the 18-time Grand Slam singles champion, has been a vocal critic of allowing transgender athletes in women's competitions.
In 2019, the Czech-American legend argued that simply declaring oneself female should not permit competition against women.
Conversely, Billie Jean King, who triumphed in the original "Battle of the Sexes" against Bobby Riggs in 1973, regards transgender exclusion as discriminatory.
No transgender players have competed at the professional level in recent years.
Renee Richards remains the only example, having played on the WTA Tour between 1977 and 1981.
Our Standards: The GB News Editorial Charter