The Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) announced on Wednesday (11) that tennis players who choose to perform fertility preservation procedures, such as freezing eggs or embryos, may temporarily move away from the circuit and return with the protected ranking.
The measure, which seeks to offer more balance between career plans and athletes’ family goals, comes three months after the entity first offers.
According to the official statement, the eligible tennis players will receive a special classification called Special Entry Ranking (Ser), based on a 12 -week WTA ranking, calculated from eight weeks before the start of removal. This ranking can be used for registration in up to three tournaments in the return to the circuit.
The US Open champion in 2017 had already asked the egg freezing to be recognized as a valid reason to ensure the protected ranking.
The athlete celebrated the decision: “I am extremely proud of our sport for recognizing the importance of fertility treatments for athletes. For any woman, reconciling family life and career is a complex and nuanced issue.”
In addition, WTA also announced that players will have financial support for fertility treatments through WTA Maternity Fund, sponsored by Saudi Arabia’s public investment fund.
