SportsOrbit

Over the years, female tennis players have acknowledged how difficult it is to strike a balance between their desire for professional success and their family’s needs. To help these players overcome this dilemma, the WTA has implemented a new empowering regulation that encourages them to start a family whenever it is most convenient for them. Following the WTA’s historic pledge to safeguard their world rankings, female tennis players who receive reproductive treatment won’t feel compelled to return to the court right away. To give them more piece of mind when preparing to have a family, the top 750 players in the world who choose to freeze their eggs or embryos will now be assigned a “special ranking.” Players frequently undergo reproductive treatments during the off-season or must consider the contradiction between their best athletic performances and their peak fertility. In addition to safeguarding these athletes’ health, this new regulation will lessen the pressure on them to compete again if they are not fully recovered or at their best physically. Who qualifies? Any female player who is ranked in the top 750 may choose to do so if their time away from competition exceeds 10 weeks. The WTA also announced earlier this year that more than 320 players are eligible for compensated maternity leave for up to 12 months. No matter their position, all players will get the same amount of statutory maternity pay. What does “special ranking” mean? Any qualifying player receiving treatment will be able to participate in up to three events within ten weeks of their return thanks to the special entry ranking. A player’s 12-week average, including the time before and during their out-of-competition stint, is used to determine their SER. Players will not be allowed to enter any of the WTA Premier 1000 events with this ranking, though. These consist of the Miami Open and the Indian Wells Open. Who established this regulation? According to WTA CEO and Player’s Council member Portia Archer, the players “very much instigated” this effort. Reactions from players “Being able to have the security to take care of that, have that peace of mind and know we can come back to the tour without working our way up the rankings is such a gift.” The 2025 Australian Open winner, Maddison Keys One person may be absent for a week, while another may be absent for three months. Some can return right away, while others acquire a lot of weight. I believe that having such support is beneficial when it comes to family planning. – The 2017 US Open champion Sloane Stephens