US Edition
Women’s Tennis Adds Ranking Protection for Fertility Procedures Such as Egg or Embryo Freezing
- On June 11, 2025, the WTA announced a rule allowing female players undergoing fertility protection procedures to take time off and return with a protected ranking.
- This rule follows the WTA's earlier support programs and the recent introduction of paid maternity leave, aiming to help athletes balance family and career goals.
- Under the updated policy, players ranked from 1 to 750 who take a minimum of 10 weeks away from competition to undergo fertility-related treatments, such as preserving eggs or embryos, qualify for a Special Entry Ranking that can be applied toward entry in three tournaments.
- Sloane Stephens, an eight-time WTA champion, called the announcement "groundbreaking" and praised the WTA for creating a safe space for players to make decisions about fertility and career.
- The new rule and related supports suggest the WTA's commitment to empowering female athletes to continue their careers without compromising fertility or family planning.
56 Articles
56 Articles
Tennis players who want to undergo fertility treatment during their career can now count on support from the WTA. The women's tennis organization announced earlier this week that if a player is unable to play for at least ten weeks, she can use a protected ranking. This applies to the top 750 tennis players on the WTA rankings. A good thing, according to former world number four Kiki Bertens.
Women’s Tennis Association adopts new rule to protect players during fertility procedures: What to know
Women athletes who want to start a family have often received little to no support or faced repercussions. Remember when, back in 2019, Olympic runners Allyson Felix, Alysia Montaño, and Kara Goucher shared that Nike, their sponsor, said it would stop paying them if they weren’t running—even during pregnancy and postpartum. It wasn’t until after the women called out the company in The New York Times that Nike instituted a new maternity policy. W…
The WTA Tour extends the Protected Ranking rule to players who freeze eggs. Sloane Stephens is "unbelievably proud of our sport"
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