World No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka has urged Australian Open chiefs to rethink their ban.
Aryna Sabalenka has lamented a ban on the Australian Open. (Picture: Getty) This text accommodates affiliate hyperlinks, we are going to obtain a fee on any gross sales we generate from it. Be taught extra
Aryna Sabalenka has referred to as on Australian Open officers to overview their ban on wearable health trackers following orders for her and several other different main gamers to take away the units throughout matches in Melbourne. Sabalenka mentioned she was greatly surprised when instructed to take away her wrist-worn Whoop health tracker, believing the machine had obtained prior approval.
The world No. 1 highlighted that she and fellow gamers had been granted permission by the Worldwide Tennis Federation (ITF) in December to make use of the expertise, solely to find on the Australian Open that Grand Slam tournaments have a special coverage. “The rationale why I used to be carrying that on court docket is as a result of we obtained the e-mail that we acquired approval from the ITF to put on this machine,” Sabalenka mentioned after her quarter-final win over Iva Jovic. “I did not know that Grand Slams did not come to a conclusion.”
Sabalenka isn’t the one one affected. Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner had been equally instructed to take away Whoop units throughout the match.
Alcaraz was halted mid-match when an official noticed the tracker beneath his wristband, whereas Sinner was required to take away his machine forward of his fourth-round conflict towards Luciano Darderi.
Wearable health trackers are allowed on each the ATP and WTA Excursions. The WTA has been in partnership with Whoop since 2021, and the ATP gave the inexperienced gentle to in-match use of the expertise in 2024.
The ITF additionally authorised the units in direction of the top of final 12 months. Nonetheless, the 4 Grand Slams, which function independently, have but to sanction their use throughout competitors.
Carlos Alcaraz was additionally caught up within the row. (Picture: Getty Photos)
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Tennis Australia confirmed that wearable units are presently prohibited at Grand Slam tournaments, together with the Australian Open, however acknowledged that deliberations are persevering with.
“Wearables are at present not permitted at Grand Slams,” a spokesperson mentioned. “The Australian Open is concerned in ongoing discussions on how this case might change.”
Sabalenka argued the prohibition makes little sense contemplating how extensively the expertise is utilised all through the rest of the tour. She harassed that the tracker isn’t designed to ship any aggressive edge throughout matches, however as a substitute to help with monitoring well being and restoration.
“The entire 12 months we’re carrying – on WTA tournaments, all of the tournaments I play – we put on Whoop. It is only for monitoring my well being,” she mentioned. “I do not perceive why Grand Slams are usually not allowed us to put on it.”
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