American WTA star Sloane Stephens recently opened up about the gruelling phase that followed her first egg freezing procedure. She mentioned how it didn’t just include physical troubles but also had a deep psychological impact on her.
She further highlighted the positive impact that the WTA’s new policy is poised to bring. Further commending the latest move, she mentioned how it will further enhance the scope of women in tennis.
Sloane Stephens Thanks the WTA for Introducing a New Rule That Supports Women by Covering Egg Freezing
The WTA has introduced a new “Special Entry Ranking” (SER) for female players who step away from competition to undergo fertility procedures such as egg or embryo freezing. Eligible athletes ranked inside the world’s top 750 who miss over 10 weeks can use their SER to enter up to three tournaments, even up to WTA 500 events when they return.
After the announcement of this rule, American WTA star Stephens stepped forward to highlight the positive change it would bring for women in tennis. She shared her own experience of taking a break from competition for the procedure and the issues she faced amid her comeback.
“The first time I did it, I rushed back and I was overweight and not happy – and just very stressed out. The second time I did it I took a totally different approach so I could just be in better shape: I could have the surgery, I could have more time to recover,” she said, as reported by BBC.com.
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She further highlighted how this rule would help players, despite the variation in the duration of the break.
“So having the protected ranking there, so that players don’t feel forced to come back early and risk their health again, is the best thing possible. Someone might be out for three months, someone might be out for one week,” she added.
Stephens first froze her eggs in 2022, at the age of 29. She worked with fertility provider Kindbody during her off‑season. The 12‑day hormone cycle caused about a 20‑lb weight gain and required her to pause intense training, which she later planned around more thoughtfully.
Sloane Stephens Admits to Being the Prime Advocate in the Player-Led Move
Besides highlighting the pros of the latest rule implemented by the WTA, Stephens also mentioned how she played a major role in its acceptance. According to the 32-year-old, it was all because of the “instigation of the players.”
“We want to really help players address this conundrum where peak athletic performance coincides with the time period of peak fertility, so players are often faced with this tough choice of how to really maximise and optimise those years,” she said.
The WTA has made it easier for players to balance motherhood and their careers. More than 320 players can now take up to 12 months of paid maternity leave, with equal pay for all, no matter their ranking. Players returning from maternity leave can enter up to 12 tournaments over three years using their previous ranking since 2019.
To support overall health, the WTA also gives players access to a medical team that provides physical checkups, mental health support, and help planning a safe return to competition. The WTA also started offering financial help for fertility treatments.
