Martina Navratilova has criticized the US Tennis Association (USTA) for its stance on transgender athletes competing in women’s tennis tournaments. It comes as transgender tennis star Alicia Rowley reportedly became the latest player to win a Women’s National Tennis Championship and ‘the coveted Golden Ball’. The Independent Council On Women’s Sports (ICONS) posted the news on Twitter, stating that Rowley recently won the women’s 55+ Grass Court National Championship and National Indoor Singles and Doubles Championship. The USTA states in its Transgender Inclusion Policy that trans athletes should be included and not blocked from playing the sport. The document states: ‘It is necessary to ensure, insofar as possible, that transgender athletes are not excluded from the opportunity to participate in sporting competitions. But following the news that Rowley had won the National Tennis Championship, ICONS Co-founder, Kim Shasby Jones tagged Navratilova and Chrissie Evert in a Tweet, and claimed the USTA’s transgender policy should be changed. In response, 16-time Grand Slam champion, Navratilova, wrote: “Come on @USTA – women’s tennis is not for failed male athletes- whatever age…this is not right and it is not fair.” This is not the first time that Navratilova has published her views on transgender athletes competing in female sporting categories.
