It is a milestone, but it also has a bit of an aftertaste – due to Saudi Arabia's involvement.

Professional women's tennis players are now eligible for paid maternity leave for up to 12 months. Those who have a child through surrogacy, adoption or the pregnancy of a partner is entitled to two months' maternity leave. In addition, allowances for fertility treatment are possible. The program announced by the World Tennis Association (WTA) applies retroactively from January 1 to more than 320 female players.

It is "the first time in women's sports history that comprehensive maternity benefits are available to independent, self-employed athletes," the WTA announced.

The prerequisite is that they have played a certain number of WTA tournaments within a certain time window. The WTA did not provide exact details. It also remained open as to how much money the players are entitled to during maternity leave. It is to be a standardized amount that is paid regardless of the world ranking. The package is financed entirely by the Saudi state fund PIF.

Serena Williams is one of several mothers to return to professional tennis in recent years. (Image: John Angelillo/UPI Photo/imago images via Deutsche Welle)

As in other sports, such as football, golf or Formula 1, Saudi Arabia has been trying to get a foot in the door in tennis by investing heavily for some time. Critics see this as sportswashing, an effort by the rulers in Riyadh to use sport to distract attention from blatant human rights violations in the country.

In recent years, there has been an increasing number of female tennis players returning to the WTA tour after pregnancy and childbirth, including former Serena Williams, German Wimbledon winner Angelique Kerber, who has since retired, and former world No. 1 Naomi Osaka of Japan. However, as they were among the top earners in the industry, they were not dependent on paid maternity leave – unlike lower-ranked players. According to the WTA, around 25 mothers currently play on the ATP Tour.

Global initiatives for maternity leave in sport

The WTA's announcement is one of several recent initiatives aimed at improving the situation of pregnant athletes and coaches and making it easier for mothers to return to competitive sport.

Since the end of 2020, footballers have been entitled to maternity leave for at least 14 weeks, with at least two-thirds of their contractually agreed salary. Pregnant players are protected from dismissal. In mid-2024, the world governing body FIFA extended the regulations to include several things – including the possibility of changing clubs outside of transfer periods. Former Germany goalkeeper Almuth Schult, a mother of three, was the first player in the world to benefit from this rule.

In October 2024, the Canadian government decided to financially support top female athletes during and after pregnancy as part of the Athletes Assistance Program (AAP). To receive funds from the program, athletes must redeem special cards. Previously, pregnant athletes were forced to use their cards in the event of an injury to receive money. Now there are separate cards for pregnant women and mothers. The government is spending a total of CDN$35 million (€22.5 million, $24 million) on the AAP program over a five-year period.

Almuth Schult made 66 appearances for Germany. (Image: Carlotta Erler/picture alliance via Deutsche Welle)

There is a similar support program in the UK. There, top female athletes who are not professionals and who are expected to be successful in international competitions receive money during their pregnancy and afterwards – provided the athlete intends to compete again after a break.

Scholarship and health insurance for top female athletes

In the United States, the National Olympic and Paralympic Committee (USOPC) supports top female athletes who have become mothers and want to return to sport for a year after giving birth with a one-year scholarship and health insurance. In spring 2024, the US Athletics Federation (USATF) decided to extend this support for top female athletes who want to return to sport if they want to take more than one year off.

In the North American women's professional basketball league WNBA, players are entitled to their full basic salary during pregnancy. If you have been playing in the league for at least eight years, you can also apply for a subsidy for artificial insemination if you want to have children.

US track and field star Allyson Felix made headlines around the world in 2019 when she revealed that her sponsor Nike wanted to cut her pay by 70% after she became pregnant. After other female athletes also confirmed this practice, bringing Nike further negative headlines, the sporting goods manufacturer relented. The contracts now contain a protective clause according to which expectant mothers must not incur any financial losses for one year.