Earlier this week, a story made headlines across the nation when transgender women’s tennis player Alicia Rowley was named the Women’s National Tennis Champion for the 55+ age group, winning the coveted “golden ball.” And one women’s tennis legend was not happy about it.
Following the news that Alicia Rowley had been named the national champion, women’s tennis legend Martina Navratilova took to social media to express her absolute outrage that she was even allowed to compete in the first place.
Come on @USTA – women’s tennis is not for failed male athletes- whatever age. This is not right and it is not fair. Would this be allowed at the US Open this month? Just with self ID? I don’t think so…” Martina Navratilova said in a tweet this week.
Come on @USTA– women’s tennis is not for failed male athletes- whatever age. This is not right and it is not fair. Would this be allowed at the US Open this month? Just with self ID? I don’t think so… https://t.co/UkBzhaL6b6
— Martina Navratilova (@Martina) August 6, 2023
The USTA does have a policy that allows for transgender female athletes to compete as women under specific circumstances. The athlete must declare that their gender ideology is female and this cannot be changed for sporting purposes for a minimum of four years.
Additionally, the league requires that “hormonal therapy appropriate for the assigned sex has been administered in a verifiable manner and for a sufficient length of time to minimize gender-related advantages in sport competitions.”
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