New WTA Rule Allows Players to Pursue Family Planning Without Sacrificing Rankings

The WTA introduces a new rule to protect the rankings of female players undergoing fertility preservation procedures, allowing them to balance family planning and professional tennis careers.

The Women's Tennis Association (WTA) has introduced a new rule to protect the rankings of female players who undergo fertility preservation procedures, allowing them to take a break from competition and return with their ranking intact.

This rule change aims to support women athletes in balancing family planning and professional tennis careers. The move comes three months after the WTA introduced a policy offering players up to 12 months of paid maternity leave.

Introducing the new PIF WTA Maternity Fund 💚

Introducing the new PIF WTA Maternity Fund. As a groundbreaking initiative, the PIF WTA Maternity Fund will provide eligible WTA players with comprehensive maternity benefits and fertility treatments to start or expand their… pic.twitter.com/T98himxIL4

— wta (@WTA) March 6, 2025

“The new rule means that players can now take time away from professional tennis for a fertility protection procedure such as egg or embryo freezing and safely return to competition with a protected ranking,” the WTA said in a statement.

“Eligible players will receive a Special Entry Ranking (SER), which can be used to enter up to three tournaments, based on the 12-week average of their WTA Ranking from eight weeks prior to the start of their out-of-competition period.”

Sloane Stephens, the 2017 US Open champion, had been advocating for egg freezing to be recognized as a protected ranking activity. She praised the WTA's announcement, calling it “ground-breaking.”

“I'm incredibly proud of our sport in recognising the importance of fertility treatments for female athletes,” Stephens said. “For any woman, the conversation of family life versus a career is nuanced and complex.”

“The WTA has now created a safe space for players to explore options and to make the best decisions for themselves,” highlighting the organization's commitment to supporting players' personal and professional choices.

The WTA also announced that players will benefit from paid maternity leave and grants for fertility protection through the WTA Maternity Fund, which is sponsored by the Saudi Public Investment Fund, further enhancing support for players' family planning and career goals.