Women’s Pro Tennis Players Score 12 Months of Paid Maternity Leave

Over the past decade, women who have become the faces of tennis—Serena Williams, Victoria Azarenka, Naomi Osaka and many more—have raised their voices about how women athletes are treated when they decide to become mothers. From losing sponsorships to missing out on tournament purses, the decision to grow one’s family shouldn’t be detrimental to one’s career. The need for paid maternity leave, not just for these superstars but for the next generation of rising athletes, has become clear.

This past week, in a major win, the Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) announced a partnership with the Public Investment Fund (PIF) to provide eligible pregnant players with up to 12 months of paid maternity leave. Along with this groundbreaking initiative, the PIF WTA Maternity Fund Program will also support those who become parents via partner pregnancy, surrogacy or adoption, offering two months of paid leave to them as well.

A first-of-its-kind program for professional athletes, fully funded and supported by an external partner—in this case, Saudi Arabia’s PIF—the program aims to offer benefits to more than 320 eligible WTA players and will be retroactive to January 1, 2025. To be eligible for participation in the PIF WTA Maternity Fund Program, players must meet certain criteria including competing in a certain number of WTA tournaments within a specific time window.

“It can be challenging to balance the physical and emotional demands of a professional tennis career with the complexities of motherhood and family life. 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,” WTA CEO Portia Archer said of the new initiative. “We are delighted that our partnership with PIF allows us to realize a key ambition to offer paid maternity and parental leave to more than 320 eligible WTA players. This initiative will provide the current and next generation of players the support and flexibility to explore family life, in whatever form they choose.”

Serving as the WTA Players’ Council Representative, Belarusian tennis player, two-time Grand Slam winner and former world No. 1 ranked player Victoria Azarenka has been a passionate advocate for paid maternity leave and raising up the next generation of tennis players. “I’m honored to introduce this program, driven by players, and made possible with the support of PIF and the WTA,” she added. “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. Ensuring that programs like this exist has been a personal mission of mine, and I’m excited to see the lasting impact it will have for generations to come.”

The WTA is not only dedicated to providing women with the financial support they need to start or grow their families, but the fund will also be rolled into the existing WTA Family Focus Program. This program includes special rankings that protect a player’s position during pregnancy and postpartum, allowing them to return at the same level for up to three years after giving birth, or up to two years following another means of parenthood. Since the introduction of special rankings for players returning from pregnancy in 2019, 50 players have benefited.