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.