It comes after an argument over wearable devices such as Whoop fitness trackers broke out at the Australian Open in January. Star players such as Aryna Sabalenka, Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner made headlines after being ordered eliminated before matches.
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Although wearable devices had been approved by the International Tennis Federation (ITF) and were on its list of permitted devices, and those devices were also permitted on the ATP and WTA Tours, Grand Slam tournaments had operated under a different set of guidelines. Tennis Australia, the organizer of the Australian Open, had confirmed that wearable wrist technology was not permitted at Grand Slams, although it said the tournament was “in discussions” about allowing such devices in the future.
Now, following criticism of the rule by world number one Sabalenka, the French Open has become the first of four Grand Slam tournaments to allow the technology, following an announcement by tournament director Amelie Mauresmo at a press conference on Thursday. The French Open said wearable devices will be allowed on a “trial” basis that will extend to Wimbledon and the US Open later this year and allow players to access their data during the sport’s biggest tournaments.
“The use of connected devices, which provide players with a large amount of information, will be allowed for the first time in a Grand Slam,” Mauresmo said. “Once again, the goal is to improve player performance.”
According to a product description, the data the Whoop tracker provides includes heart rate, heart rate variability, recovery, activity stress, blood oxygenation, skin temperature, respiratory rate and blood pressure, as well as sleep performance. In a video posted by the WTA, Sabalenka, a Whoop ambassador, explained that the band monitored her stress levels between matches and the data advised her to take days off after discovering she was in the “red zone.”
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Masters champion Rory McIlroy is an investor in Whoop and the company released some of his stats following his win at Augusta on Sunday, including his heart rate data and recovery score. Statistics showed that McIlroy’s heart rate shot up to 135 bpm when he stood on the 18th tee in the final round on Sunday, but then fell to 105 bpm for the tap-in putt that led to him winning back-to-back Masters titles. Tennis players can now also share their statistics, such as match point during a Grand Slam final.
Sabalenka had expressed frustration over the ban during the Australian Open. “I don’t understand why, because we use Whoop all year round, in the WTA tournaments and in all the tournaments I play,” she said. “It’s just to monitor my health. I don’t understand why the Grand Slams don’t allow us to use it, and I really hope they reconsider the decision and allow their players to keep track of their health monitor.”
The ban on wearable devices was highlighted when Alcaraz and Sinner were ordered to remove the devices from their wrists before matches in Melbourne. Alcaraz was caught mid-match with a device under his wristband, and Sinner was also stopped after referee Greg Allensworth discovered he had one hidden under his wristband before the coin toss. Sinner removed him without complaint, but then said he wanted to see his data to report recovery before his next match.
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Sinner had struggled with the extreme heat during the Australian Open and the Italian explained: “It’s not because of the live thing. It’s more about (what) you can see after the match. This is data that we would like to use in practice sessions as well, because from there you can practice with heart rate, how many calories you burn, all that kind of stuff.”
The Australian Open’s stance on wearables was criticized by Whoop’s founder and CEO, who posted on X/Twitter: “Ridiculous. Whoop is approved by the International Tennis Federation for use in matches and poses no safety risk. Let athletes measure their bodies. Data is not steroids!”
The ITF approved the Whoop device after a review last year, as long as haptic feedback, such as vibrations on the wrist, is disabled during competition.