MELBOURNE, Australia — Aryna Sabalenkathe world No. 1, urged the Grand Slam to overturn the ban on wearable technology following a series of controversies in Australian Open.
Sabalenka and the best male player Carlos Alcarazwas banned from wearing a band produced by the American company Whoop. The group tracks metrics such as heart rate variability, sleep stages, skin temperature and blood oxygenation; World No. 2 and double title holder Jannik sinner was also asked to remove his before his fourth-round straight-sets victory over Luciano Darderi on Monday.
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The devices are authorized at the WTA and ATP level, and the Whoop device worn by Sabalenka and Alcaraz was authorized by the International Tennis Federation (ITF), the organization whose rules the majors follow, according to a report filed on December 19but the four tournaments do not allow this individually.
A Tennis Australia spokesperson confirmed via email that “handheld devices are currently not permitted at Grand Slam tournaments” and said “the Australian Open is involved in ongoing discussions about how this situation may change.” An ITF spokesperson referred to Tennis Australia’s statement when contacted for comment.
A representative for the French Tennis Federation, which players hope will be willing to reverse the ban before the start of the French Open in May, did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
A representative for Whoop, which counts Cristiano Ronaldo, LeBron James and Rory McIlroy among its users, said via email: “Whoop believes that athletes have a fundamental right to understand their own performance and health, including when competing at events like the Australian Open.
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“Whoop is approved by the International Tennis Federation for wear during matches and poses no security, fairness or competitive risks. Blocking access to personal health data does not protect the sport,” they said.
“The reason I wore this on the court (is) because we received an email saying we had gotten approval from the ITF to wear this device,” Whoop ambassador Sabalenka said at a press conference Tuesday after beating Iva Jović to reach the semifinals. “I didn’t know that Grand Slams didn’t come to (this) conclusion.
“Every tournament I attend, we wear Whoop. It’s just to track my health. I don’t understand why Grand Slam tournaments don’t allow us to wear it, and I really hope they reconsider and let their players track their health.”
Sinner said he agreed with the ban, but added during a press conference on Monday: “There is some data that we would like to track a little bit on the pitch. It’s not for live. It’s more about what you can see after the match. It’s data that we would also like to use in training sessions.”
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The majors’ stance has also been criticized by former players. “We have coaching; why can’t you have your own data?” » asked 16-time Grand Slam men’s doubles champion Todd Woodbridge on Australia’s Channel 9.
“I don’t understand these rules. So it provides measurements of blood, pulse. It (tracks) your rest, your heart rate, the state of your body, your sleep patterns, your recovery time at work, all that kind of stuff.
“So why isn’t a player allowed to have his own data and know how he feels? It doesn’t make sense. Sometimes our rules in tennis, one rule is here and the other says ‘no’. Can we have the same rules, please?”
Professional Tennis Players’ Association (PTPA) Medical Director Dr. Robby Sikka, who is also the team physician for the New York Yankees, drew an unfavorable comparison to other sports.
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“Other major sports leagues have already built thoughtful, evidence-based frameworks for wearable technology,” he wrote via text message.
“The NFL allows approved wearable devices and RFID tracking, the NBA operates a formal committee on wearable devices with full player access to their data, MLB rigorously verifies devices, and the world’s soccer leagues have several approved systems in place. Tennis should meet this same standard.”
When the ATP Tour announced the approval of wearable devices during matches in 2024 (three years after the WTA), then-sports director Ross Hutchins said the technology was “a big step forward in our efforts to optimize player performance and prevent injuries.”
The ban caused such consternation in part because of some players’ broader dissatisfaction with not having access to their own data and information. Players like Daria Kasatkina have previously expressed frustration at being extremely limited in what footage can be released of themselves due to copyright limitations tied to Grand Slam media rights deals.
For now, the best players will have to do without the groups of the majors.
This article was originally published in Athletics.
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