This year’s Australian Open ignited a storm when global stars like Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz were told to remove their Whoop performance bracelets before stepping on court. The directive sparked debate across the tennis world and fueled questions about outdated regulations. The tide has now turned, with Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner granted reprieve following the ATP’s revision of the contentious rule.

The ATP said in a statement that, “The board approved a rule that extends to the range of permitted wearable devices providers and on-court use by players in ATP competition, and authorized management to determine and finalize the implementation details, including what, if any, new data governance controls to implement”. 

The rule change clears the way for players to resume using approved devices, including the popular Whoop strap, starting at the Indian Wells tournament.

In 2024, the ATP had already approved wearable devices such as STATSports and Catapult for use during competition on both the ATP Tour and the ATP Challenger Tour, effective from 15 July.

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All data was to be centralized into ATP Tennis IQ – Wearables, a dashboard system for players that expanded the analytics platform launched in 2023, giving players better access to match data and performance insights.

Ross Hutchins, then ATP Chief Sporting Officer, explained the vision. He said: “The introduction of wearables on Tour is a big step forward in our push to optimise player performance and prevent injury. Ultimately, empowering players to get the very best out of their careers. We’re delighted to make cutting-edge data insights more accessible than ever and look forward to continuing our innovation in this space.”

Despite this approval, confusion followed in 2026, when top players at the Australian Open were told to remove their fitness trackers before their Round of 16 matches, a development that surprised fans and experts alike.

Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner were both asked to take off their devices. This happened before their last-16 matches. The move quickly created debate.

A Tennis Australia spokesperson confirmed via email that “wearables are currently not permitted at Grand Slams,” and added “the Australian Open is involved in ongoing discussions on how this situation could change.” An ITF spokesperson referred to Tennis Australia’s statement when asked for comment.

A representative from Whoop also responded. The company counts Cristiano Ronaldo, LeBron James, and Rory McIlroy among its users. 

The spokesperson said: “Whoop believes athletes have a fundamental right to understand their own performance and health — including during competition at events like the Australian Open. Whoop is approved by the International Tennis Federation for in-match wear and poses no safety, fairness, or competitive risk. Blocking access to personal health data does not protect sport.”

Aryna Sabalenka was also told to remove the Whoop band

The WTA has allowed women’s players to wear wearables since 2021. However, women’s world number one Aryna Sabalenka was told to remove her device earlier at the AO. The decision surprised her and many others.

Sabalenka openly shared her confusion during a press conference. “The reason why I was wearing that on court because we received the email that we got approval from the ITF to wear ‍this device,” explained the world number one in one of her press conferences. 

She added, “The whole year we are wearing on WTA tournaments, all the tournaments I play. It’s just for tracking my health. I don’t understand why Grand Slams have not allowed us to wear it. I really hope that they will reconsider ‌the decision and let their players track their health monitor.” 

The controversy grew beyond the players. Will Ahmed, CEO of Whoop, reacted strongly after devices were banned in Melbourne, expressing his anger on social media.

“Ridiculous. Whoop is approved by the International Tennis Federation for in-match wear and poses no safety risk. Let the athletes measure their bodies. Data is not steroids!” Ahmed said. 

In a separate post, Ahmed announced he had sent the Whoop Body collection to players at the Australian Open to help them continue tracking their health, showing public support for the athletes.

The ATP has since updated its position on wearables. However, it remains unclear whether the ITF will make similar changes. The difference in rules between tours and Grand Slams continues to raise questions.

Sabalenka, Carlos Alcaraz, and Jannik Sinner are set to compete at Indian Wells next week. The combined Masters 1000 and WTA 1000 event will be closely watched. 

All eyes will be on Indian Wells to see how the new wearable policy is implemented.