Sophie Cunningham has become the face of the transgender athlete debate consuming women’s sports, and the scrutiny hasn’t stayed confined to the WNBA. Athletes across other sports are now being asked to weigh in, too.
This week, it was Coco Gauff’s turn. Asked about the WTA’s new genetic testing policy, the World No. 4 tennis superstar gave her answer, and the reaction split almost immediately into two camps that agreed on nothing except that she’d said something worth arguing about.
Coco Gauff’s Stance on Trans Athlete Debate Draws Mixed Reactions
Gauff’s comments came after the WTA introduced a mandatory genetic testing policy in July, requiring all players to submit to a one-time test screening for the SRY gene as a condition of eligibility.
World No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka backed the policy earlier in the week, stating it wouldn’t be fair for women to compete against “biological men.”
But Gauff gave a longer, more careful answer than her top-ranked peer.
“I understand the reasoning behind it,” Gauff said. “I do think that this kind of conversation has created a lot of animosity towards the trans community, which I’m not really a big fan of, but I also understand the need to account for the biological difference and the need to protect that and preserve that. So I think it’s a conversation that is very nuanced.”
Coco Gauff on the WTA’s new genetic testing policy:
“I understand the reasoning behind it. I do think that this kind of conversation has created a lot of animosity towards the trans community, which I’m not really a big fan of, but I also understand the need to [account for] the… pic.twitter.com/e41X6ipgl2
— Christian’s Court (@christianscourt) August 6, 2026
She went on to explain how she supports efforts to protect fairness in women’s sports, but pushed back against using the debate as cover to target the trans community. The online response broke into two distinct camps almost immediately.
Some praised the answer, with one X user saying, “Athletes cannot win weighing in on this topic… Somehow, Coco won…. Some will take issue with where she ultimately lands. That’s fine. But this is what civility, empathy, and reason sound like.”
Athletes cannot win weighing in on this topic… Somehow, Coco won…. Some will take issue with where she ultimately lands. That’s fine. But this is what civility, empathy and reason sounds like. https://t.co/jWGrIsnhC5
— Jon Wertheim (@jon_wertheim) August 6, 2026
Writer Charlotte Clymer also believes Gauff’s stance was fair and said, “So many folks overthink this, but Coco Gauff just gave one of the most reasonable answers I’ve heard on the subject.”
So many folks overthink this, but Coco Gauff just gave one of the most reasonable answers I’ve heard on the subject. https://t.co/oYeYmTuAOU
— Charlotte Clymer 🇺🇦 (@cmclymer) August 6, 2026
“Coco Gauff could not handle this with more grace and character. This is maturity beyond her years and precisely what I have been saying. You can want fairness in sports and to make sure the playing field is level without demonizing and dehumanizing the trans community,” another applauded.
Coco Gauff could not handle this with more grace and character.
This is maturity beyond her years and precisely what I have been saying.
You can want fairness in sports and to make sure the playing field is level without demonizing and dehumanizing the trans community. https://t.co/0R6MyazV1W
— Jason Page (@TheBackPage) August 6, 2026
However, some are of the opinion Gauff was being too diplomatic in her response and needed to be firmer. XX-XY Athletics CEO Jennifer Sey decided to call her out, writing, “Translation: I don’t want men in women’s sports but I’m scared to say it outright so I’m kowtowing to the gender people. Pick a lane, Coco.”
“I definitely support the trans community, but I also support the need of creating fairness in sport too.”
Translation: I don’t want men in women’s sports but I’m scared to say it outright so I’m kowtowing to the gender people.
Pick a lane Coco. pic.twitter.com/nap3yBVg4p
— Jennifer Sey (@JenniferSey) August 6, 2026
Another observer thought that Gauff was taking a stance similar to Cunningham and wrote, “Bottom line, she said the same thing as Sophie Cunningham just with way more words.”
Bottom line, she said the same thing as Sophie Cunningham just with way more words. https://t.co/36xuYJ18zk
— Kirsten Fleming (@KirFlem) August 6, 2026
Whether Gauff’s answer changes how the debate is viewed going forward remains unclear. What is clear is that, much like Cunningham before her, Gauff found out that there was no version of this answer that was going to satisfy everyone asking the question.
