The WTA’s New Fertility Rule Is a Game Changer—Here’s What It Actually Means for Female Tennis Players

Imagine having to choose between freezing your eggs and keeping your job. For many professional athletes, that’s not a hypothetical. But now, female tennis players are getting a bit of their power back.

The Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) has announced a new rule that protects the rankings of players who take time off to undergo fertility treatments, such as egg or embryo freezing. And while it may not sound revolutionary at first glance, this policy shift is actually groundbreaking.

Why this matters for female tennis players and their fertility

Female tennis players often hit peak performance during the same years their fertility declines. According to the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, fertility gradually declines around age 32 and drops significantly after 37. That overlap has forced athletes to make impossible choices: either pause their careers or risk missing their window to start a family.

Now, the WTA says players ranked in the top 750 who take at least 10 weeks off for fertility treatments will be eligible for a Special Entry Ranking (SER). The SER is based on a 12-week average of their ranking, starting eight weeks before the break. They can use it to enter up to three WTA 500, 250, or 125 tournaments.

The WTA announced the new measure on June 11, 2025, calling it a player-led initiative designed to empower athletes to plan families without sacrificing their careers.

Sloane Stephens says she knows the struggle firsthand

Sloane Stephens, the 2017 U.S. Open champion, has long been vocal about the need for fertility support. In an interview with BBC Sport, she shared that she underwent egg freezing twice during the off-season. The first time, she felt rushed to return to play: “I rushed back and I was overweight and not happy—and just very stressed out.”

The second time, she approached it differently. “I could have the surgery, I could have more time to recover,” she told the BBC. With this new rule, she added, players won’t feel forced to come back early and risk their health again: “It’s the best thing possible.”

How ranking protection for fertility treatment actually works

According to The Washington Post and The Athletic, players can use the SER within the first 10 weeks of returning to play. However, it doesn’t apply to the top-tier WTA 1000 events, a decision meant to encourage scheduling these procedures during less intense parts of the season.

The SER rule is now part of the WTA’s broader Family Focus Program, which includes paid maternity leave and fertility treatment grants. The tour introduced 12 months of paid maternity leave earlier this year, available to over 320 players regardless of their current ranking. According to Tennis.com, that came with access to mental health support, physical assessments, and a staged return-to-play plan.

Female tennis players are no longer forced to choose between family and career

“The WTA has now created a safe space for players to explore options and to make the best decisions for themselves,” Stephens said in a statement released by the tour and quoted in The Athletic.

WTA CEO Portia Archer emphasized that the move was directly informed by player feedback. “After hearing from players that the option of fertility protection offers a proactive way to balance family goals and career ambitions, we’re delighted that this new measure… will contribute to enabling our athletes to realize their full potential,” she said in the official WTA press release.

What other female tennis players are saying

Madison Keys, the 2024 Australian Open champion, told BBC Sport that the new rule gives players peace of mind: “Being able to have the security to take care of that… is such a gift.”

Tatjana Maria, who has two children and returned to the tour after both pregnancies, welcomed the move but said more can be done. She pointed to issues like hotel room access and accreditation for traveling with children, telling BBC Radio 5 Live, “Even now, having two kids on tour, there are still issues.”

Other sports are paying attention, too

According to BBC Sport and the Washington Post, tennis joins other women’s sports leagues—like the WNBA—in addressing fertility needs. The WNBA, for example, offers up to $60,000 in reimbursement for procedures like egg freezing.

But the WTA’s move is notable not just for the financial or logistical support—it signals a shift in what success in sports can look like for women. It’s no longer just about trophies; it’s also about the freedom to have a future off the court.