Wearables Enter the Spotlight at Australian Open Amid Whoop Controversy

January 26, 2026

Top players Jannik Sinner, Carlos Alcaraz and Aryna Sabalenka were ordered to remove their Whoop bands before matches. Whoop, in response, says athletes have a “fundamental right” to track their data while competing

Health and fitness wearable maker Whoop is at the center of a controversy making waves at the Australian Open, after top players Jannik Sinner, Carlos Alcaraz and Aryna Sabalenka were ordered to remove their trackers before their matches.

The organizer of the Australian Open, Tennis Australia, asserted that tech like the Whoop wearable is not allowed to be worn at grand slam competitions, but future policy shifts are possible.

“Wearables are currently not permitted at Grand Slams,” a Tennis Australia spokesperson said. “The Australian Open is involved in ongoing discussions on how this situation could change.”

Sinner, an Italian professional tennis player considered one of the best in the world, was ordered to remove a Whoop device under his wrist sweatband before a match on Monday.

Alcaraz — currently ranked world No. 1 in men’s singles — was also asked to remove his Whoop after a tournament official spotted it mid-match, meanwhile Sabalenka — the women’s current world No. 1 in singles — was asked to take hers off earlier in the tournament.

“There is certain data … we would like to track a little bit on court,” Sinner said, per The Independent. “It’s not for the live thing. It’s more about (what) you can see after the match. These are datas (that) we would like to use also in practice sessions, because from that you can practice on with the heart rate, how much calories you burn, all these kind of things.”

Sinner added that he was planning to use the data not to help inform his recovery before the quarter-finals.

Whoop trackers are known for providing heart rate, heart rate variability, recovery, activity strain, blood oxygenation, skin temperature, respiratory rate and blood pressure, sleep stages and performance metrics to users.

Sabalenka currently serves as a Whoop ambassador, stating in a Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) video that she takes advantage of the data to monitor her stress levels between matches and to help inform when to take rest days, after it found she was in the “red zone.”

Wearables are permitted at tours overseen by the WTA and the Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP — the governing body of the men’s professional tennis). In 2024, former ATP chief sporting officer Ross Hutchins said the technology was a “big step forward in our push to optimize player performance and prevent injury.”

The International Tennis Federation (ITF) also approved the Whoop device following a review last December, as long as haptic feedback like wrist vibrations was disabled during competition.

There is an argument that elite players with access to the wearable tech could have an unfair advantage, especially if they have access to live in-match data that their opponent does not.

“Whoop believes athletes have a fundamental right to understand their own performance and health — including during competition at events like the Australian Open,” a Whoop spokesperson said.

“Whoop is approved by the International Tennis Federation for in-match wear and poses no safety, fairness, or competitive risk,” they added. “Blocking access to personal health data does not protect sport. Whoop will continue to stand with athletes and our members to defend their right to their data.” Athletech News