Tennis: WTA announces paid maternity leave for players

The Women's Tennis Association announced a 12-month paid maternity leave for pregnant players in the circuit, on Thursday.

Under a program sponsored by the Public Investment Fund of Saudi Arabia, those who become partners via partner pregnancy, surrogacy, or adoption can also avail a two-month off with pay.

The scheme, retroactive from 1 January, 2025, will aid over 300 players in the circuit.

Though the WTA did not disclose the amount players would receive, it revealed that the amount will be paid monthly.

"Independent contractors and self-employed individuals don't typically have these kinds of maternity benefits provided and available to them. They have to go out and sort of figure out those benefits for themselves," said WTA CEO Portia Archer.

Players are eligible to avail the benefit if they have played eight WTA tournaments, including Grand Slams in the last year with at least four of them at WTA 250 level and above or a minimum of 24 WTA tournaments over the previous 36 months with at least 12 of those being WTA 250 and above.

The move comes as a major boost to women's sport with at least 25 mothers actively competing on the WTA circuit currently. These include major champions Victoria Azarenka, Naomi Osaka, Petra Kvitova and the 2020 Olympic gold medallist Belinda Bencic.

India's Sania Mirza had taken a two-year maternity break after giving birth to her son in October 2018. She returned to the circuit only in January 2020 at the Hobart International in Australia.