Major ‘Maternity’ boost for Female Tennis Players announced
Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (PIF) is teaming up with the Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) to offer a major boost for female tennis players. The new initiative will provide paid maternity leave of “up to 12 months” for players on the women’s tennis circuit, as announced on Thursday.
The PIF WTA Maternity Fund Program will support over 320 eligible WTA players. For the first time, players will receive paid maternity leave, along with grants for fertility treatments and other benefits to help them start families.
To qualify for the payments, players will need to compete in a set number of WTA tournaments within a certain period.
Victoria Azarenka, a two-time Grand Slam winner and WTA players’ council representative, praised the move, calling it “a meaningful shift” in how women in tennis are supported. Azarenka, who became a mother in 2016, added that it has been a personal mission of hers to ensure such programs exist to help athletes balance their careers and family life.
WTA CEO Portia Archer also welcomed the initiative, saying it will provide support and flexibility for both current and future players, allowing them to explore family life on their own terms.
In recent years, several top players have taken breaks from their careers to have children, with varying impacts on their careers. Belgian Kim Clijsters won three Grand Slam titles after giving birth in 2008, while Serena Williams, after having her daughter in 2017, reached four major finals but did not win another Grand Slam.
Naomi Osaka, another former world number one, returned to tennis in early 2024 after giving birth, with her best result so far being a final at the Auckland tournament.
Despite some criticism of Saudi Arabia’s record on women’s rights, the country has increased its investments in tennis. Last November, Riyadh hosted the WTA Finals for the first time and will do so again in 2025 and 2026 after a multi-year partnership with the PIF.
