Sarah Gronert, a 22-year-old pro from Germany, finds herself under scrutiny from her opponents and their coaches, who believe that a unique gender issue from birth should make her ineligible for the woman's tour.Three years ago, those issues almost caused Gronert, ranked No. 619 in the world, to abandon her career. Though she has since returned to competitive tennis, the dialogue that continues to surround her relates not to her ability, but to her biology.
Gronert was born with male and female genitalia. After undergoing surgery, she's now medically certified as a woman. That's not good enough for some, though.
"There is no girl who can hit serves like that, not even Venus Williams," said Schlomo Tzoref, the coach of Julia Glushko, who Gronert recently beat on her way to winning the Raanana tournament in Israel in early March. "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 have decided, they probably know best. If she begins to play continuously, within six months she will be within the Top 50."
It's tough to piece together the details of Gronert's story. Her story has yet to really reach American shores, so facts have to be parsed together from various foreign language websites. Yet Tzoref isn't the only one who sees the potential for Gronert to climb the ranks of the women's tour, which will surely lead to more conversation -- and infamy -- around the world regarding her standing on the tour.
We do know that, at 19, the harsh words and treatment from peers almost led Gronert to retire. Instead, she underwent surgery to remove the male genitalia and, after a struggle with the WTA that needed a petition and special committee to resolve, was allowed to compete again.
Gronert has appeared in nine tournaments in the last three years, winning two -- the Raanana tournament on March 2 and the German Kaarst tournament on January 19 -- this year. The purse for both titles was $10,000 each. Her competitors feel she had an unfair advantage towards winning those purses which will lead her to continue to rise in the sport unfairly. The longer Gronert competes, the more fevered the conversation grows (her Wikipedia page was deleted due to constant abuse by users).
"This can not be. This is not a woman, it's a man. She does not have the power of a woman and no woman has such a technique," Tzoref said. "She serves like a man. It's very strange."
Elie Seckbach contributed information and translations to this story.
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Guillermo Canas, of Argentina, returns a shot from Sam Querrey in the first-round match at the BNP Paribas Open tennis tournament, Friday, March 13, 2009, in Indian Wells, Calif. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum)
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Taylor Dent serves to Diego Junqueira, of Argentina, during their first round match at the BNP Paribas Open tennis tournament, Friday, March 13, 2009, in Indian Wells, Calif. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
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Taylor Dent returns a shot to Diego Junqueira of Argentina during their first round match at the BNP Paribas Open tennis tournament, Friday, March 13, 2009, in Indian Wells, Calif. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
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Patty Schnyder, of Switzerland, returns a shot to Li Na, of China, during their second round match at the BNP Paribas Open tennis tournament, Friday, March 13, 2009, in Indian Wells, Calif. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
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Taylor Dent returns a shot to Diego Junqueira of Argentina during their first round match at the BNP Paribas Open tennis tournament, Friday, March 13, 2009, in Indian Wells, Calif. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
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Li Na of China returns a shot to Patty Schnyder of Switzerland during their second round match at the BNP Paribas Open tennis tournament, Friday, March 13, 2009, in Indian Wells, Calif. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
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Li Na of China returns a shot to Patty Schnyder, of Switzerland, during their second round match at the BNP Paribas Open tennis tournament, Friday, March 13, 2009, in Indian Wells, Calif. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
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Li Na of China serves to Patty Schnyder of Switzerland during their second round match at the BNP Paribas Open tennis tournament, Friday, March 13, 2009, in Indian Wells, Calif. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
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Diego Junqueira, of Argentina, returns a shot to Taylor Dent during their first round match at the BNP Paribas Open tennis tournament, Friday, March 13, 2009, in Indian Wells, Calif. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
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Andy Roddick of the U.S. attends a press conference during the Indian Wells ATP tennis tournament in Indian Wells, California, March 13, 2009. REUTERS/Michael Fiala (UNITED STATES)
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
3-13-2009 @ 10:57PM
bigflyer said...
She has twice as many chances for a date on Saturday night.
Reply
3-14-2009 @ 5:38PM
Dr Huxtable said...
It seems odd that she waited so long to have the surgery.
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3-15-2009 @ 6:29AM
Sieben said...
Either she is or she isn't.How can this issue be solved ????????? DNA ???????
Reply
3-15-2009 @ 2:17PM
Tina said...
Sieben said-
"Either she is or she isn't.How can this issue be solved ????????? DNA ???????"
Actually, the notion that everyone can be simply and definitively categorized as one of two sexes is incorrect...there are individuals born appearing physically male who have XX sex chromosomes as well as individuals appearing physically female who have XY sex chromosomes, as well as other combinations like XO (Turner's syndrome), XXY (Klinefelter's syndrome) and genetic mocaisism, where parts of an individual's body may have a male or intersexed genotype and other parts a female or intersexed genotype.
In the case of an individual with mixed or otherwise ambiguous genitalia, there's a good chance that genetic testing won't show a 100% male or female chromosomal pattern, and even if it does, that doesn't guarantee that the person's internal sense of gender will match their genetics.
3-15-2009 @ 6:16PM
samwise246 said...
If there was ever a player in the WTA who should be questioned about her gender it is serena williams. She has more muscle mass than any of the men on the tour and had a meteoric rise in the rankings. Went from 304 to 20 in just over a year. But of course, if anyone suggests she is not all natural, they are branded a racist.
Reply
3-18-2009 @ 9:34PM
Sieben said...
samwise246 I would never label you a racist because of your remarks,perhaps a hater,or just plain envious . I thing you fail to realize or except is that when she puts her mind to it ,Serena is the BEST women,s tennis player in the world,for her to go from 340 to 20th is not unusual,she has the TALENT to do that ,so don't be sadden she is that good. Oh by the way I beleive she is definitely " ALL WOMAN "
3-20-2009 @ 8:24AM
kenneth said...
You need to change your name, to sam dumbass. Ms . Williams is an exceptional athelete and all woman. Your just a racist idiot to bring her into this. I notice you didn't bring Ms B.J.King or Ms. Naratilova into the story. you dumbass.
3-21-2009 @ 1:31AM
FAB said...
no, not a racist...just an idiot. ;)
3-16-2009 @ 3:20AM
Zoe Brain said...
So the second-rate coach of a second-rate player is complaining about the better tennis player who beat her. What a surprise.
The fact is, the International Olympic Committee, after looking at the Science, has said that the evidence shows no-one in this situation has an advantage.
But evidence means nothing to some.
Reply
3-20-2009 @ 8:19AM
renewed45 said...
If she has to take female hormones to maintain her feminity then she really is a man.i think that should be the deciding factor. Because the body knows. The surgery was a elected proceedure.
Reply
3-20-2009 @ 9:00AM
koanga1 said...
Can she get pregnant?
Reply
3-20-2009 @ 9:34AM
tolovebastet said...
sigh......I would have married them
Reply
3-20-2009 @ 9:37AM
DONALD said...
let her be she look better then alot woman out there!!!!!!
Reply
3-21-2009 @ 1:44AM
FAB said...
hey donald. is english your 3rd language?
3-20-2009 @ 10:09AM
luvhounds said...
This is a person who is facing circumstances beyond her control. She's had to face way too much already for her age. I think she was smart to wait till she was an age where she could make an adult decision about who she wants to be. Now that she has, let her be that person.
Reply
3-20-2009 @ 10:38AM
LCtheLord said...
If she has ovaries shes a woman simple as that. And as far as Testosterone goes she looks built like a toned petite woman not an overly developed one, mass being large or small.
Reply
3-20-2009 @ 12:05PM
HILLARY OH YES!! said...
"VIOLENCE is the ANSWER"---in this case---a very mean and rancid attitude towards dikwadz like this "coach" she'll need to develop --i hope-a mindset of----BE SURE OR BE DEAD---before i kik your azz--snap your neck or pee in your coffeee! she can nurture --how DARE---this evil basdurd harm her mental? SHE unfortunately will be in the psych's office for the rest of her life--but a healthy strong mind and an "occassional SAVAK kick" to the throat with a stilletto" in a bad situation---may help-----good luck !! signed---OUTOFITSE*CHANGE-----sending love n light-----p.s.---TOO BAD she can't join the military and learn to hang off helicopters with an ak-47 blowing away villages occassionally ---like some female tennis players get trained to do----lolllllllll---GRONERT IS A WOMAN!
Reply
3-20-2009 @ 1:43PM
fkurtin said...
I WANT TO GRAB HER,HUG HER UP AND TELL HER I WILL GREATLY ADMIRE HER FOR WHAT SHE HAS BEEN THROUGH IN LIFE SO FAR.ITS TOO BAD SHE HAD TO SUFFER SURGERY OF ANY TYPE.ONLY A TOTAL CREEP WOULD PICK ON HER NOW OR EVER.INSTEAD OF A NEWS ARTICLE THAT PICKS HER APART LETS PUT THOSE HATERS PICTURES ON THE NEWS AND MAKE FUN OF THEM AS CREEPIEST PEOPLE TO TO BE AVOIDED AND BANNED FROM EVERYTHING.IF ANYTHING,WE SHOULD CHEER HER ON AND HOPE FOR HER SUCCESS IN EVERYTHING.SHE IS A BETTER PERSON THAN ANY OF US EVEN BEFORE HER SUGERY.
Reply
3-20-2009 @ 1:52PM
fkurtin said...
SPELLING???DONT GO THERE, I WAS JUST UPSET OVER BULLIES AND PEOPLE WHO OPEN THEIR MOUTH BEFORE THINKING AND THEIR IQ SPILLS OUT
Reply
3-20-2009 @ 2:32PM
Homey D said...
Venus with a penis, Serena with a weiner, and Gronert with a boner. All "GIRL" tennis circle jerk. There you go. There you is. The white dude is kind of cute though.
Reply