On the courts in Melbourne, during the Australian Open 2026, a detail from the world of technology overshadowed the sports story and started a wider debate about the line between permissible analytics and potential advantage in professional sports. The biggest stars of today’s tennis, Carlos Alcaraz, Jannik Sinner and Aryna Sabalenka, have been asked to remove wearable fitness trackers during matches, as such devices are prohibited under the rules of Grand Slam tournaments.
The incident occurred during matches at the Australian Open, where referees noticed wristbands that monitor physiological parameters such as heart rate, body load and recovery. Although such devices are permitted by the International Tennis Federation, as well as on the ATP and WTA tours, the rules of the four Grand Slams currently do not allow their use during matches.
The organizers of the tournament confirmed that the ban policy is still in force, but they emphasized that there are discussions about possible changes in the future. Sabalenka publicly criticized the decision, pointing out that the Grand Slam tournaments are “behind the rest of the tennis season” in this regard, while players emphasized that they use the devices primarily to analyze health and performance after the match, not to gain a tactical advantage in real time.
The controversy gained additional weight because wearable technology has been used in top sports for years. Smart watches and bracelets track data on recovery, exercise and sleep, and manufacturers claim that they allow athletes to better understand the state of their body and reduce the risk of injuries. On the other hand, skeptics warn that real-time data transmission could potentially open the door to unfair advantages or covert communication with teams, which is one reason why the Grand Slams maintain a more restrictive approach.
This case illuminates a deeper problem: the mismatch of rules between the different levels of professional tennis. While the ATP and WTA allow the use of such devices, the major tournaments still adhere to more conservative regulations, creating confusion and frustration among players and technology manufacturers. Experts and coaches point out that the lack of access to data during a match can limit the professionalism of sports in an era where every detail of performance is analyzed down to the smallest nuances.
In a broader context, this episode shows how digitalization of sports is becoming inevitable, but also how much regulation lags behind technological development. Professional sports are increasingly reliant on data, analytics and artificial intelligence, and decisions like this one at the Australian Open are a reminder that the balance between innovation and competitive integrity is still not clearly defined. If the Grand Slam tournaments in the coming seasons change the rules, this incident could be seen as the moment when the tennis establishment finally acknowledged that the era of data-driven sports has arrived on the biggest stage, reports ESPN.