Players can get special ranking for three tournaments
Sloane Stephens: ‘It will empower this generation’
Tennis players who choose to take time off in order to undergo fertility protection procedures, such as egg or embryo freezing, will be permitted to receive a protected ranking according to new rules announced by the Women’s Tennis Association.
Players ranked inside the top 750 on the WTA who undergo fertility procedures will be eligible to receive a Special Entry Ranking (SER) allowing them to enter up to three tournaments. The SER will be calculated using their average ranking during a 12-week period before and during their absence and can be used up to WTA 500 events.
A growing number of players are opting to take time away from the sport in order to give birth or actively plan their families during their careers. At the urging of the players, over the past few years the WTA has taken significant steps towards addressing these issues, helping to provide players with options to plan their families while competing at the highest level.
