Tennis players are banned from wearing fitness trackers during Grand Slam matches.
The rule has stirred controversy at the Australian Open this week, with the company at the centre of the debate now providing players with a way to conceal devices during matches.
Here’s what you need to know.
Context
The issue came to public attention when the umpire asked men’s world No.1 Carlos Alcaraz to remove a Whoop band before his fourth-round match against Tommy Paul.
Other high-profile players, including women’s world No.1 Aryna Sabalenka and two-time defending champion Jannik Sinner, had also been wearing similar devices earlier in the tournament.
Tennis Australia later confirmed that personal wearable devices are not permitted during matches at Grand Slam events, even though they are approved for use at ATP and WTA tournaments.
In a statement, Tennis Australia said: “Wearables are currently not permitted at Grand Slams. The Australian Open is involved in ongoing discussions on how this situation could change.”
Whoop
Whoops are screen-free fitness trackers designed to be worn continuously.
They measure heart rate, recovery, sleep, strain, skin temperature and blood oxygen levels, with insights delivered through a subscription-based app.
The device cannot receive messages, but closely resemble other wrist-worn watches.
That similarity is believed to be a key concern for Grand Slam organisers, who are wary of any device that could enable in-match communication or coaching.
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At the Australian Open, players already receive external performance data through the Bolt 6 tracking system, which measures distance covered, speed, movement patterns and shot metrics.
This does not include internal health data such as heart rate.
Response
This week, Whoop posted a video to social media saying the company would be shipping specially designed boxers, bras, and underwear to several players at the Aus Open.
The garments have an in-built sensor which provides athletes with the same data as a wrist-worn device.
While Tennis Australia maintains that wearables are banned regardless of placement, enforcing the rule would be difficult without invasive checks.
Sabalenka said she believed wearables had been approved after communication from the International Tennis Federation.
She said: “The whole year we are wearing, on WTA tournaments, all the tournaments I play, we wear Whoop. It’s just for tracking my health. I don’t understand why Grand Slams have not allowed us to wear it.”
Sinner accepted the ruling but said: “There is certain data… we would like to track a little bit on court.”
What's next?
For now, the ban remains in place at the Australian Open and the other Grand Slam tournaments.
In a statement to TDA Sport, Tennis Australia said discussions are ongoing, but no rule change has been announced.
You can watch the final weekend of the Australian Open on Channel 9, 9Now, and Stan Sport.
