Funded by Saudi Arabia, women's tennis players to receive maternity pay for 1st time

Pregnant players on the women's tennis tour now can receive 12 months of paid maternity leave, and those who become parents via partner pregnancy, surrogacy or adoption can get two months off with pay, under a program sponsored by the Public Investment Fund of Saudi Arabia and announced Thursday by the WTA.

"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," WTA CEO Portia Archer said. "This is really sort of novel and groundbreaking."

More than 300 players are eligible for the fund, retroactive to Jan. 1. The WTA would not disclose how much money is involved.

The program, which the WTA touted as "the first time in women's sports history that comprehensive maternity benefits are available to independent, self-employed athletes," also provides grants for fertility treatments, including egg freezing and IVF.

It's part of a wider trend: As women's sports rise, there is an emphasis on meeting maternity and parental needs.

How many mothers are on the women's tennis tour now?

The WTA says 25 moms are active on tour; one, Tokyo Olympics gold medallist Belinda Bencic, won a title last month after returning from maternity leave in October.

More and more pros in tennis have returned to action after having children, including past No. 1-ranked players and Grand Slam title winners such as Serena Williams, Naomi Osaka, Kim Clijsters, Caroline Wozniacki and Victoria Azarenka.

Azarenka, a member of the WTA Players' Council which Archer acknowledged played a key role in pushing for this fund, thinks these benefits will encourage lower-ranked or lower-earning athletes to take