Wearables arrive at Wimbledon
For years, tennis players have trained with heart rate monitors, GPS devices and recovery trackers behind closed doors. Much of that technology has been used during practice sessions and recovery, but has rarely been seen during Grand Slam matches.
This year's Championships mark a significant shift. For the first time, Wimbledon is allowing players to wear approved wearable technology during matches, following debate earlier in the season after several leading players were asked to remove connected fitness trackers at the Australian Open. Until this year, connected wearables were prohibited during Grand Slam matches, making Wimbledon 2026 an important milestone in the sport's embrace of wearable technology. As wearable devices become more sophisticated, data on recovery, sleep and physiology is increasingly shaping how players train, prepare and recover, even if much of that technology remains almost invisible to spectators.
While traditional sponsorships from racquet, clothing and watch brands still dominate tennis, wearable health technology is steadily finding its place on the professional tour. From WHOOP recovery bands that monitor sleep, heart rate and training strain to continuous glucose monitors (CGMs) worn for medical reasons, and glucose biosensors designed for everyday wellness, players and former champions are helping bring wearable technology into the spotlight.
Here's who's wearing what at Wimbledon 2026, and how these devices are changing the conversation around performance, recovery and health.
Aryna Sabalenka: WHOOP
Aryna Sabalenka has become one of the biggest names associated with wearable technology in tennis.
The world No.1 is an official WHOOP ambassador and regularly features in the company's campaigns, sharing how she uses sleep, recovery and training data throughout the season. Rather than focusing solely on fitness, WHOOP measures how well the body has recovered and whether it's ready for another demanding training session or match.
Sabalenka also found herself at the centre of the wearable debate earlier this year after being required to remove her tracker during the Australian Open under the previous Grand Slam rules. Wimbledon allowing approved wearables represents a significant change for players like Sabalenka.
Jannik Sinner: WHOOP
Defending Wimbledon champion Jannik Sinner has also been seen wearing a WHOOP tracker.
Although he is not an official ambassador, Sinner has explained that recovery data is an important part of managing the physical demands of the ATP Tour. He was among the players affected by restrictions on connected wearables earlier this season before the rules were relaxed.
His use of WHOOP reflects a wider trend among elite athletes who increasingly monitor recovery alongside technical performance.
Maria Sakkari: WHOOP
Maria Sakkari has been one of WHOOP's longest-serving ambassadors in professional tennis.
Known for her exceptional fitness, the Greek star has featured extensively in WHOOP's content discussing heart rate variability (HRV), recovery scores and sleep quality.
Although she is not among this year's leading Wimbledon favourites, she remains one of the sport's strongest advocates for wearable recovery technology.
Alexander Zverev: Continuous glucose monitor (CGM)
Alexander Zverev, the reigning French Open champion, has lived with Type 1 diabetes since childhood and wears a CGM to help manage his condition while competing at the highest level.
Zverev's sensor recently helped explain a surprise defeatJust over a week before Wimbledon, Zverev revealed that a malfunctioning glucose sensor contributed to his semi-final loss at the Halle Open. The sensor incorrectly suggested his glucose level was very high before the match. Acting on that reading, Zverev injected additional insulin, only to discover his glucose level had actually fallen. During the early stages of the match, he said he had to consume around 350 grams of sugar to prevent severe hypoglycaemia, leaving him feeling "absolutely awful" on court. Zverev later described it as the first significant sensor error he had experienced after using continuous glucose monitoring technology for around nine years. The incident highlights an important difference between medical wearables and consumer fitness trackers. For athletes living with Type 1 diabetes, a CGM is far more than a performance gadget – it is an essential medical device that supports everyday diabetes management and safe competition at the highest level. |
Unlike WHOOP, a CGM is a medical device rather than a fitness tracker. It continuously measures glucose levels, helping users understand how food, exercise and insulin affect their body.
Zverev has spoken openly about his diagnosis in recent years and established the Alexander Zverev Foundation to support children living with Type 1 diabetes. His success at the highest level of tennis continues to demonstrate that diabetes does not have to limit elite sporting performance.
Serena Williams: Lingo glucose biosensor
Although Serena Williams is no longer competing at Wimbledon, her latest wearable partnership is helping introduce glucose monitoring to millions of people without diabetes.
The 23-time Grand Slam singles champion is the face of Abbott's Lingo glucose biosensor, which is designed to help users understand how food, exercise, sleep and stress affect their glucose levels.
Unlike medical CGMs used by people with diabetes, Lingo is aimed at the growing consumer wellness market. Abbott says the biosensor helps people better understand how their body responds to everyday lifestyle choices.
Williams' involvement is significant because it brings glucose monitoring into mainstream sport and wellness through one of tennis' most recognisable figures.
Wearable: Abbott Lingo glucose biosensor
Why WHOOP has become tennis' wearable of choice
Most wearable devices seen in professional tennis aren't measuring performance during points. Instead, they're helping athletes recover between matches.
WHOOP tracks a range of physiological measurements, including:
- Sleep duration and quality
- Resting heart rate
- Heart rate variability (HRV)
- Respiratory rate
- Recovery
- Training strain
For players competing almost every week of the year, understanding when the body needs rest can be just as valuable as another practice session.
Could glucose biosensors become the next trend?
Recovery trackers currently dominate professional tennis, but glucose monitoring is beginning to move beyond diabetes.
Alexander Zverev shows how CGMs can support elite athletes managing Type 1 diabetes, while Serena Williams' partnership with Abbott's Lingo highlights growing interest in glucose data among people focused on nutrition, exercise and metabolic health.
Whether consumer glucose biosensors become as common as recovery wearables remains to be seen, but they are increasingly becoming part of the wider conversation around health and performance.
The future of wearable technology in tennis
Wimbledon's decision to allow approved wearable technology during matches for the first time marks an important moment for the sport. What was once confined to training sessions and recovery rooms is now becoming more visible on one of tennis' biggest stages.
The players featured in this article are using wearable technology for very different reasons. WHOOP helps athletes monitor recovery and training load, Alexander Zverev relies on a continuous glucose monitor to manage Type 1 diabetes, while Serena Williams is introducing glucose biosensors to a wider wellness audience through Abbott's Lingo.
As wearable technology continues to evolve, the gap between elite sport, medical devices and consumer health is becoming increasingly blurred. Wimbledon 2026 shows that wearables are no longer just a training aid behind the scenes – they're becoming part of the conversation on Centre Court itself.
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