The Women’s Tennis Association has introduced up to 12 months of paid maternity leave for female players.
The WTA says around 320 players will be entitled to the same, undisclosed fee, irrespective of their world ranking, with the policy funded by Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund, a global partner of the WTA Tour.
Players will not have to give back the money if they do not return to professional tennis.
Grants will also be handed out for fertility treatment, such as egg freezing and IVF, while the programme includes two months of paid leave for those who become a parent through partner pregnancy, surrogacy or adoption.
To receive assistance, players will need to have competed in a minimum of eight WTA tournaments in the previous 12 months or 24 over the previous 36 months.
Victoria Azarenka: ‘Ensuring that programmes like this exist has been a personal mission of mine, and I’m excited to see the lasting impact it will have for generations to come’
Former world No 1 Victoria Azarenka, who sits on the WTA Players’ Council and has an eight-year-old son, said: “I’m honoured to introduce this programme, driven by players, and made possible with the support of PIF and the WTA.
“This marks the beginning of a meaningful shift in how we support women in tennis, making it easier for athletes to pursue both their careers and their aspirations of starting a family.
“Ensuring that programmes like this exist has been a personal mission of mine, and I’m excited to see the lasting impact it will have for generations to come.”
Azarenka is one of a growing band of players who have returned to the tour after having children, including Belinda Bencic and Petra Kvitova.
They are among 50 players to have benefited from a special ranking protecting their previous level that can be used for up to three years after giving birth since it was introduced in 2019.
Alanoud Althonayan, the head of events and sponsorships at PIF, said: “The PIF WTA Maternity Fund Program – a first-of-its-kind and the only maternity program in women’s sports to be fully funded and supported by an external partner – opens new pathways to motherhood while creating a more inclusive environment where athletes can thrive in both their professional and personal lives.”
