WTA Implements New Rule to Support Players in Fertility Treatments
The Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) announced on Wednesday a new regulation that will allow players to take time away from the sport to undergo fertility preservation procedures, returning to competition with a protected ranking.This new rule seeks to support female athletes so they can balance their family goals with their professional ambitions. The measure comes three months after the WTA offered players, for the first time, up to 12 months of paid maternity leave.
The new rule means that players can now take time away from professional tennis for a fertility preservation procedure, such as egg or embryo freezing, and safely return to competition with a protected ranking. Eligible players will receive a Special Entry Ranking (SER), which they can use to participate in up to three tournaments, based on the 12-week average of their WTA Ranking starting eight weeks before the start of their period out of competition. Sloane Stephens, 2017 US Open champion, had previously requested that egg freezing be recognized as an activity eligible for protected ranking. Stephens called Wednesday’s announcement an “innovative” step.The WTA also reported that players will benefit from paid maternity leave and fertility protection grants through the WTA’s Maternity Fund, sponsored by Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund.I am incredibly proud of our sport for recognizing the importance of fertility treatments for female athletes. For any woman, the conversation about family life versus a career is nuanced and complex. The WTA has now created a safe space for players to explore options and make the best decisions for themselves.
Sloane Stephens
