“Forced to Come Back,” Historic WTA Move Reveals American Icon’s Fight to Protect Hopes of Motherhood

There was a time when women in tennis had to fight for the basics: equal pay, fair treatment, and a place on center court. Billie Jean King and others pushed for change, and today, all four Grand Slams offer equal prize money to men and women. Now, the WTA is taking that progress a step further. In March, the WTA introduced paid maternity leave for the first time, with all players receiving the same amount, no matter their ranking. This was already a landmark moment. But now, they’ve added another game-changing rule to their player care policy. One that Sloane Stephens has rallied for for a long time.

Female tennis players who choose to freeze their eggs or embryos will now have their rankings protected while they take time off. The offer is open to anyone ranked in the top 750 and applies if they’re away for more than 10 weeks. Their special ranking will be calculated using the average of a 12-week period before and during their leave.

That means players can take time off to focus on fertility and still return to competition without losing ground. One of the biggest advocates of this policy is Sloane Stephens. The former world No. 3 played a big role in getting this across the line. She was part of the WTA Players’ Council and pushed for change. WTA CEO Portia Archer confirmed it. “It was very much at the instigation of the players,” she said. Sharing her own experience, the 2017 US Open champion said, “The first time I did it, I rushed back and I was overweight and not happy and just very stressed out. The second time I did it, I took a totally different approach so I could just be in better shape: I could have the surgery, I could have more time to recover. So having the protected ranking there, so that players don’t feel forced to come back early and risk their health again, is the best thing possible.”

This policy doesn’t just offer ranking protection. The WTA has also added access to a full health team for players navigating pregnancy or postpartum recovery. That includes physical assessments, mental health support, and guidance on a gradual return to the tour. And it’s much needed. Victoria Azarenka, Naomi Osaka, Belinda Bencic, and Elina Svitolina are among several WTA players who have returned to the game as mothers. For them, and those considering starting families, this is real, tangible support.

Interestingly, tennis isn’t the first sport to step up in this space. The WNBA already offers up to $60,000 in reimbursement to players for fertility treatments, including egg freezing. Now, the WTA is joining that league of forward-thinking organizations.

And Sloane Stephens has been fighting for this policy for a long time

Sloane Stephens was ready to be the “guinea pig” for change

Sloane Stephens has been open about her journey, which is rare in tennis. Other athletes, like England cricket captain Nat Sciver-Brunt and netball legend Geva Mentor, have spoken about fertility treatments. But until now, no female tennis pro had ever gone public about freezing her eggs.

That changed when Stephens revealed she did it in 2022 at age 29 with the fertility care company ‘Kindbody.’ The Florida-born player, married to former soccer star Jozy Altidore, wants to break the silence. “It’s about time we normalize female athletes making choices for themselves and their futures,” she said. “Because no woman should have to choose between their career and their family.”

Sloane Stephens didn’t just talk. She acted. In 2024, she rallied for this change and helped turn the conversation into policy. As she told Cosmopolitan, “I think there always has to be one guinea pig, and I was the one who raised my hand in this case. And I think that’s helped a lot of other girls feel confident in their decision to do the same thing.”

The WTA has made a bold statement: players shouldn’t have to choose between a Grand Slam title and the chance to start a family. Isn’t it time every sport followed suit? What do you think?