# Transgendered Tennis Players Sarah Gronert Sparks a Whole New Gender Dispute in Pro Sports By Marissa Brassfield | Published 2009-03-20 | Lifestyle Source: Trend Hunter, https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/sarah-gronert References: [wowowow](http://www.wowowow.com/entertainment/sarah-gronert-tennis-player-gender-controversy-born-male-female-245380) Sarah Gronert is a transgendered tennis pro who is making headlines this morning after intense scrutiny from her peers in the sports world has brought the role of [gender in athletic prowess](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/voiceinsport) to global attention. Sarah Gronert is a 22-year-old from Germany who was born with both male and female sex organs. Gronert has since had surgery to become a certified woman; as of this article, no Sarah Gronert pictures have surfaced of her before the operation. Gronert is considered a tennis phenom; she’s currently ranked #619 in the world. Sarah Gronert’s gender, however, has sparked a giant controversy as to whether she should be allowed to compete as a women’s professional tennis player. Schlomo Tzoref, the coach of Julia Glushko, another pro tennis player whom Sarah Gronert beat, says, “There is no girl who can hit serves like that, not even Venus Williams. When I heard her story, I was in shock. I don’t know if it’s fair that she can compete or not. She does have an advantage, but if this is what the [WTA](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/ms-irrelevant) have decided, they probably know best. If she begins to play continuously, within six months she will be within the top 50.” ## Trend Insights (Trend Hunter) - Score: 5.6/10 - Popularity: 88% | Activity: 71% | Freshness: 8% - Audience gender: 50% men, 50% women - Primary generations: Millennial - Top markets: North America, Europe ## Categories [Trend Hunter](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends) > [Lifestyle](https://www.trendhunter.com/lifestyle) > [Life](https://www.trendhunter.com/life) ## Key Themes ### Why This Trend Is Growing - **Gender in Sports:** Disruptive innovation opportunity: Explore ways to create inclusive policies and guidelines for transgender individuals to compete in sports at all levels. - **Sexual Identity Recognition:** Disruptive innovation opportunity: Develop systems and protocols to better recognize and accommodate individuals with diverse sexual identities in professional sports. - **Equality in Athletics:** Disruptive innovation opportunity: Advocate for equal opportunities, resources, and support for transgender athletes in order to create a more inclusive and fair playing field. ### Industries Being Reshaped - **Sports and Athletics:** Disruptive innovation opportunity: Collaborate with sports organizations to create policies and guidelines that promote inclusivity and fairness for transgender athletes. - **Healthcare and Surgery:** Disruptive innovation opportunity: Develop advancements in surgical procedures and healthcare services to better support individuals transitioning gender in the sports industry. - **Social Activism and Advocacy:** Disruptive innovation opportunity: Drive change by advocating for policy reforms and raising awareness about the rights and inclusion of transgender athletes in professional sports. ## Related on Trend Hunter - [Tennis-Inspired Grunt Notifications](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/grunt-notification.md) - [Athlete-Backed Stigma-Addressing Campaigns](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/anna-leigh-waters.md) - [Trans-Inclusive Soccer Facilities](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/pitch-please.md) - [Athlete-Backed Menstruation Campaigns](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/sportyourperiod.md) - [Women-Only Tennis Shoes](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/the-intrigue.md) - [Athlete Commemorative Dolls](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/venus-williams-barbie.md) - [Women-Empowering Racing Teams](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/jenner-racing.md) - [Tennis Star Yogurt Partnerships](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/chief-progress-officer.md) - [Women-Only Esports Tournaments](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/galaxy-racer-1.md)