Birth Of A Notion: WTA Launches Maternity Fund Program With Global Partner PIF
Thursday, March 6, 2025 at 03:58PM By Barry Janoff
March 6, 2025: Driven by Victoria Azarenka and other players, the Hologic WTA Tour and global partner Public Investment Fund of Saudi Arabia have launched the PIF WTA Maternity Fund Program, an initiative that “provides eligible WTA players with the financial support and comprehensive resources to start or expand their families.”
The PIF WTA Maternity Fund Program initially will offer benefits to more than 320 eligible WTA players — including for the first time paid maternity leave up to 12 months — who will have access to grants for fertility treatments to build families, as well as other benefits.
Although other women’s sports leagues such as the WNBA, NWSL and PWHL have maternity programs in place, WTA said the PIF WTA Maternity Fund Program is the only maternity program in women’s sports “to be fully funded and supported by an external partner.”
Finances backing the program were not revealed.
“I’m honored to introduce this program, driven by players, and made possible with the support of PIF and the WTA,” Azarenka, WTA Players’ Council Representative, former No. 1 ranked player and mom to Leonard, said via the WTA.
“This marks the beginning of a meaningful shift in how we support women in tennis, making it easier for athletes to pursue both their careers and their aspirations of starting a family. Ensuring that programs like this exist has been a personal mission of mine, and I’m excited to see the lasting impact it will have for generations to come.”
The PIF WTA Maternity Fund Program is part of WTA’s comprehensive Family Focus Program developed by the WTA to “empower players to combine family life with professional sport.”
This includes special rankings that protect a player’s ranking position during pregnancy and postpartum, allowing them to return at the same level for up to three years after giving birth, or up to two years following another means of parenthood, such as guardianship.
Since special rankings after returning from pregnancy were introduced in 2019, 50 players have benefited, according to the WTA.
In addition, the WTA said it offers extensive support to players who are pregnant or new parents through the Hologic WTA Performance Health Team and Women’s Health Taskforce, including physical assessments, mental health support and nutritional advice, as well as guidance on a staged return to play.
“It can be challenging to balance the physical and emotional demands of a professional tennis career with the complexities of motherhood and family life,” Portia Archer, WTA CEO, said via the organization.
“For some time, we have been exploring how we can increase our support for players to help them become parents at a time of their choice. We are delighted that our partnership with PIF allows us to realize a key ambition to offer paid maternity and parental leave to more than 320 eligible WTA players.”
According to Archer, “This initiative will provide the current and next generation of players the support and flexibility to explore family life, in whatever form they choose.”
The NWSL and the U.S. Women's National Team have CBAs that allow for pregnancy leave and parental leave. NWSL pays the full base salary while an athlete is pregnant. The CBA also includes expanded health benefits, including childcare and mental health services.
The WNBA's CBA guarantees full pay during maternity leave.
The PWHL's CBA as part of the Professional Women's Hockey League Players Assn. includes maternity leave, paying a player’s base salary and maintaining other benefits during pregnancy until either the player is cleared to return or the applicable season ends if the player births or adopts a child or if their partner births a child during the season, and such benefits as the league providing a nanny for players’ children through their first birthday.
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