The Australian Open had banned it, also forcing Sinner and Alcaraz to remove it. But now the ITF’s approval has been accepted by the ATP
Do you remember Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner “forced” to take off what everyone thought was a hi-tech bracelet during the Australian Open in the middle of a match? Well, that image, which went viral in no time, will never be repeated again. This is because “that” bracelet was actually a Whoop, an electronic device that has become famous throughout the world, which Tennis Australia had banned during the first Slam of 2026.
The protests
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The world number one in Melbourne had been asked by the chair umpire, the Croatian Marija Cicak, to remove the bracelet before the round of 16 match against Tommy Paul. Same thing happened to the blue, with the chair umpire Gregory Allensworth asking the world number 2 if he was wearing a “Whoop” under his cuff before the match against Luciano Darderi and, having received an affirmative answer, asked to remove it. For this reason there had been quite a bit of protests from players among Whoop users, for the ban on its use. In fact, the device had been approved at the end of December by the ITF, the international federation that manages the Slams, but Tennis Australia, the association that organizes the Australian Open and is an independent body, did not agree and decided otherwise. The players felt safe using the bracelet, given the green light from the ITF, but this was not the case.
The green light
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Now the ITF’s approval to use the Whoop bracelet has been accepted by the ATP, which had already given the green light to the use of wearable devices in 2024. The bracelet was cleared through customs in Rotterdam: Indian Wells is the first major tournament where it is allowed. “The council approved a rule that extends the range of wearable devices permitted and their use on the court by players in ATP competitions,” the players association itself wrote.
What is Whoop
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The Whoop bracelet controversy turned out to be the best publicity possible for the company whose CEO and founder is Will Ahmed. “Whoop is approved by the International Federation for use during matches and poses no safety risks. Let athletes measure their bodies. Data is not steroids,” Ahmed said, also noting that sales have skyrocketed. The Whoop is an advanced, screen-free, wristband-like fitness tracker designed for 24/7 continuous monitoring of sleep, recovery, heart rate, physical exertion and stress, perfect for professional athletes such as tennis players to further optimize their performance.
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