Players Advocate for Protected Rankings During Egg Freezing.

Posted 3 months ago

Former US Open champion Sloane Stephens is advocating for a policy change that would protect players' rankings if they decide to freeze their eggs, emphasizing the importance of supporting athletes' personal and family planning decisions without compromising their careers.

Under current Women's Tennis Association (WTA) rules, new mothers can use their previous ranking to enter 12 tournaments over three years following childbirth.

Since 2019, these returning mothers with a high enough special ranking are also ensured not to face a seeded player in the opening round of their first eight tournaments.

American star Sloane Stephens highlighted the physical and mental toll that the egg-freezing process can take on women, impacting their performance when they return to the court.

She believes that players who choose to freeze their eggs deserve similar ranking protections to support their career and personal life balance.