WTA announces maternity benefits plan for players
The WTA will offer players up to 12 months of paid maternity leave for the first time, the women's tennis tour said on Thursday, part of a sweeping new family benefits programme sponsored by the Saudi Public Investment Fund.
Under the plan, players will have access to grants for fertility treatment and other benefits. The WTA said it is the first time that maternity benefits are available to self-employed athletes.
"It can be challenging to balance the physical and emotional demands of a professional tennis career with the complexities of motherhood and family life," WTA CEO Portia Archer said in a statement.
"For some time, we have been exploring how we can increase our support for players to help them become parents at a time of their choice."
The WTA first announced its partnership with the PIF last year. More than 320 players are eligible for the benefits, with criteria reliant on competing in a "certain number of WTA tournaments in a window of time."
WTA Players' Council Representative Victoria Azarenka, who gave birth in 2016 and missed nine months of competition in 2017 and 2018 due to a custody battle with her son's father, said she expected the programme would have a "lasting impact."
"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," the Belarusian twice major winner said in a statement.
The announcement comes amid a broader shift in global sport to support working parents, with high-profile athletes - from Olympians to NFL players - calling for more benefits in the area.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Sharjah 24
5 hours ago
- Sharjah 24
Coco Gauff wins 2025 French Open title
A battle between the top two players The final marked the first Grand Slam final between the WTA's top two players since 2018, when Caroline Wozniacki defeated Simona Halep at the Australian Open. The match showcased intense rallies and momentum shifts, keeping fans on the edge of their seats. Sabalenka struggles with unforced errors Despite her strong run through the tournament—beating Olympic champion Zheng Zhenwen and three-time French Open champion Iga Swiatek—Sabalenka struggled with 70 unforced errors, more than double Gauff's 30. This ultimately cost her the chance at a first Roland Garros title and her fourth overall Grand Slam. Gauff's continued rise This victory adds to Gauff's growing legacy, following her first Grand Slam title at the 2023 US Open (Flushing Meadows). The win further cements her status as one of the rising stars and dominant forces in women's tennis. Missed rematch opportunity for Sabalenka Earlier in May, Sabalenka had defeated Gauff in the Madrid final, leading many to expect a repeat performance. However, Gauff's resilience and tactical adjustments turned the tide in Paris, earning her a memorable victory on clay.
Al Etihad
7 hours ago
- Al Etihad
French Open 2025: Sobbing Sabalenka apologises for 'terrible' final
7 June 2025 20:51 PARIS (Reuters) French Open runner-up Aryna Sabalenka broke down in tears and apologised for what she labelled a "terrible final" after losing 6-7(5) 6-2 6-4 to American Coco Gauff on number one Sabalenka appeared to be in the driving seat after taking a 4-1 lead in the opening set, but made a staggering total of 70 unforced errors in the match. Coco Gauff. (Reuters) "This will hurt so much, especially after such a tough two seeks playing great tennis in terrible conditions," the Belarusian said as she stifled her sobs."Thank you my team for the support, I'm sorry for this terrible final. As always I will come back stronger," the three-time Grand Slam champion said. "To Coco: you deserve it, you're a hard worker, a fighter."
Gulf Today
17 hours ago
- Gulf Today
World's top two clash for French Open crown as Sabalenka faces Gauff
World number one Aryna Sabalenka targets a French Open title that would "mean the world" in a tantalising final against second-ranked Coco Gauff at Roland Garros on Saturday. It will be the first time the world's top two players have met in a women's Grand Slam final since Caroline Wozniacki defeated Simona Halep to win the 2018 Australian Open. Sabalenka and Gauff faced off in the 2023 US Open final, when the Belarusian led by a set before imploding as the then-teenager Gauff claimed her maiden major title. Their head-to-head record is locked at 5-5, although Sabalenka came out on top in their last meeting in the Madrid Open final last month. The top seed will be playing in her first Slam final not on hard courts. "In the past I don't know how many years, we've been able to develop my game so much, so I feel really comfortable on this surface and actually enjoy playing on clay," she said after ending Iga Swiatek's bid for a fourth successive Roland Garros triumph in the semi-finals. Aryna Sabalenka celebrates winning her semi final match against Iga Swiatek. Reuters "If I'll be able to get this trophy, it's just going to mean the world for us. "I'm ready to go in that final and to fight, fight for every point and give everything I have to give to get the win." Sabalenka snapped Swiatek's 26-match winning run at the French Open with a devastating deciding set that she took 6-0 in just 22 minutes. But the 27-year-old knows it will not be easy against Gauff, who has always been comfortable on clay and has reached at least the quarter-finals in five successive appearances in the tournament. "It was a big match (against Swiatek), and it felt like a final, but I know that the job is not done yet, and I have to go out there on Saturday, and I have to fight and I have to bring my best tennis," added three-time major champion Sabalenka. "I have to work for that title, especially if it's going to be Coco." Gauff hoping to stay 'calm' Gauff is hoping to become only the third player to win two women's Grand Slam titles before the age of 22 since Maria Sharapova added the 2006 US Open to her famous 2004 Wimbledon win. The others are Swiatek and former world number one Naomi Osaka. It will be the 21-year-old's second Roland Garros final after she was left in tears following a heavy defeat by Swiatek in 2022. Coco Gauff celebrates as she won the semifinal match against Lois Boisson. AP "Obviously here I have a lot more confidence just from playing a Grand Slam final before and doing well in one," said Gauff. "I think going into Saturday I'll just give it my best shot and try to be as calm and relaxed as possible." Sabalenka will be playing in her seventh WTA final of the year, the most by any player at this stage of a season since Serena Williams -- who beat Sharapova to win the title in Paris -- in 2013. Gauff says Sabalenka's power has helped her build a commanding lead at the top of the world rankings. "I think obviously her ball striking, she can come up with some big shots and big winners pretty much at all areas of the court, so I think her ball striking and also her mentality, she's a fighter as well, she's going to stay in the match regardless of the scoreline." Gauff is in her first Slam final since beating Sabalenka in New York two years ago, having suffered two semi-final losses since, including to Swiatek at Roland Garros 12 months ago. "It feels kinda fast, to be honest. US Open doesn't feel like too long ago," she said. "I think the past experience that I've played her, we had some up-and-down matches, we had some that I won straight sets and her vice versa... "Anything can happen on Saturday. But I'm looking forward to it, and glad to be going up against a world number one too." Agence France-Presse
