- WTA signed an agreement with PIF to become global partners in May last year
- The number of mothers on the tour has increased with the introduction of protected classification
Tennis players are ready to receive paid maternity leave and 'integral benefits' with the announcement of a new historical initiative funded by the WTA and Saudi PIF.
The sovereign background of the kingdom, which has invested strongly throughout the sport, was announced as the exclusive global partner of the WTA in May last year.
Since then, Saudi has host the competition exhibition event, the WTA finals, and has become the first name partner of the tour classification, a role that PIF also plays in the Male ATP classification.
Thursday's announcement marked the first significant initiative headed by the Fund, with an estimated 320 players in the women now eligible for a paid maternity leave of up to 12 months, as well as subsidies for fertility treatments, such as freezing eggs and additional benefits.
The PIF WTA Maternity Fund program will take place under the 'broader family approach' program that, according to the organization, aims to 'empower players to combine family life with professional sport', and additional assignments ensure that players who move away from the rigors of the sport during pregnancy and postpartum have a protected classification up to three years after giving birth.
Although these protected classifications are prior to the participation of PIF with WTA, as independent contractors, female tennis stars have had few financial protections when taking time for the tour.
Tennis players will receive paid maternity leave and other benefits as part of a new WTA initiative (Belinda Bencic in February)
The fund comes after the exclusive Global Association Agreement with the Saudi PIF
The representative of the WTA Players Council, and Mother, described the movement as a “significant change”
Viktoria Azarenka, who was pregnant in 2016 before giving birth to his son Leo, and returned to the tour, the following year, shared on Thursday that the launch of the fund represented a “significant change” in sport.
“I feel honored to present this program, promoted by the players, and made possible with the support of PIF and the WTA,” said the two -time representative of Grand Slam Champion and WTA Players' Council.
'This marks the beginning of a significant change in the way we support women in tennis, which facilitates athletes to continue both their careers and their aspirations to start a family.
“Ensure that there are programs like this has been a personal mission of mine, and I am excited to see the lasting impact that will have for the coming generations.”
Since the introduction of protected classifications after the license of the materials of materials in 2019, several main stars have enjoyed a strong return to court after taking the time to have children, with Belinda Bencic a recently convincing recent example.
The former world of the world in the world gave birth in October and returned to the tour at the beginning of the year, reaching the fourth round of the Australian Open in January, before claiming its first WTA500 postpartum title last month.
In an interview with The Ahletic, Bencic said he had been “really inspired” by the mothers who currently compete on the tour, including Elina Svitolina and Naomi Osaka, for demonstrating that it is “possible” Flexibility of support for family life.
But the WTA association with the PIF has not been without its difficulties, with players in the WTA finals at the end of last year, it repeatedly asked the apparent incompatibility of the agreement due to Saudi's bad record in women's rights.
The eventual winner of the Gouits Coconut Tournament admitted that he had been “worried” when the location of the finals was announced, and that he had spent time talking to women in Saudi Arabia to discuss the human rights issued before participating.
With the finals that will be organized in Riyadh for at least two more years, Gound was also open because his participation would not be guaranteed if he described.
“If I felt uncomfortable or felt that nothing is happening, then it would probably not come back,” added the former champion of the United States Open.