THE AUSTRALIAN OPEN was slammed after Carlos Alcaraz and Aryna Sabalenka were asked to remove a rarely-seen item of clothing during their respective matches.
The tennis superstars are hoping for glory Down Under.
But Alcaraz and Sabalenka both ended up in hot water over an article of clothing.
The duo have been wearing fitness bands called WHOOP devices throughout the tournament.
The discreet piece of kit is worn on the wrist like a watch.
And it records various bits of data over the user’s fitness, health and performance.
Unfortunately for Alcaraz and Sabalenka, they were both forced to remove their WHOOP devices mid-game.
Neither tennis star put up a fight against the umpire’s call.
ITF rules require pre-approval for devices to be worn in games.
They must also not be used to send feedback to coaches during matches.
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However, WHOOP have now fired back at Aussie Open chiefs claiming it is not against the rules to wear their device.
They believe stars should be allowed to use their fitness band to help track their physical state and claim removing them “does not protect sport.”
A WHOOP 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. WHOOP will continue to stand with athletes and our members to defend their right to their data.”
