Sarah Gronert: A new tennis gender war?
A German player's trouble gaining acceptance on the women's tour
There’s a new gender war in the world of tennis, said Toshiba Reynolds in the Post Chronicle. Sarah Gronert, a 22-year-old professional tennis player from Germany, was born with both male and female genitalia, a fact that’s making it tough for her to gain acceptance on the women’s tour. “She serves like a man,” one coach said.
It’s unfair to question Gronert’s eligibility, said The Women on the Web blog. Her male genitalia was surgically removed. She was born a hermaphrodite, but "she's now medically—and legally—a woman." The scrutiny has been intense—at 19 she even considered quitting the game because of the constant abuse, but she has stuck in there and is now ranked No. 619 in the world.
"I'm torn," said Emily Moulton in Gather.com. "While I feel Sarah Gronert should be allowed to live her life as a woman, it does seem a little unfair to the other women in the tennis circuit." On the other hand, all athletes have an advantage over the rest of us thanks to their genetic gifts, "so I guess I say let Sarah Gronert play."
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
-
RFK Jr.: How to destroy vaccination
Feature Robert F. Kennedy Jr. replaces all 17 members of the federal Advisory Committee on Immunization Practice
-
The god in the machine
Feature An AI model with superhuman intelligence could soon become reality. Should we be worried?
-
ICE: Targeting essential workers
Feature After a brief pause, the Trump administration resumes its mass deportation plan