Alexis Ohanian, the co-founder of Reddit and husband to tennis superstar Serena Williams, has applauded the landmark decision by the Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) to provide paid maternity leaves for female players. Ohanian, a strong advocate for parental leave, has had a significant shift in his personal understanding of the matter since the birth of his daughter, Olympia, in 2017. He took a full 16 weeks of paid paternity leave, offered by Reddit, following the difficult birth of his daughter. Ohanian confesses that the concept of paternity leave was not something he had considered deeply before, yet he appreciated the privilege of not having to decide between his occupation and his family – a dilemma many parents encounter.
The WTA declared on March 6 that it will offer paid maternity leave to its female players, with 320 players already qualifying for the benefits. The program includes 12 months of paid leave and grants for fertility treatments such as egg freezing and IVF. Funded by Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (PIF), this initiative is a first for women’s sports, offering comprehensive maternity benefits to independent, self-employed athletes. This move marks a significant step in the recognition and support for the needs of parents in women’s sports.
WTA CEO Portia Archer announced the program during a press conference, acknowledging the challenges faced by players trying to balance a professional tennis career with motherhood and family life. Archer emphasized that the initiative is groundbreaking, as independent contractors and self-employed individuals typically do not have access to these types of maternity benefits.
Currently, there are 25 tennis moms actively competing on WTA tours, including Tokyo Olympic gold medalist Belinda Bencic, who won her second Abu Dhabi title last month after returning from maternity leave following the birth of her daughter Bella in 2024. Other notable names include Naomi Osaka, Kim Clijsters, Caroline Wozniacki, and former World No.1 Viktoria Azarenka.
Ohanian voiced his support for the WTA’s new initiative on social media, sharing a post about the paid maternity leave program and referring to it as a “Smart Move”. The post featured a picture of Serena Williams and their daughter Olympia.
The program, which is unique in women’s sports history, also offers grants for fertility treatments. This trend of athletes returning to top-level competition after becoming mothers is on the rise in the WTA tour. Former No. 1s and Grand Slam champions like Serena Williams, Naomi Osaka, Kim Clijsters, Caroline Wozniacki, and Victoria Azarenka are part of this trend.
Former Australian Open winner Viktoria Azarenka, who is also a member of the WTA Players’ Council, has praised the PIF WTA Maternity Fund Program as “an incredible beginning” and a “monumental change”. Azarenka believes that this program will not only change the conversation in sports but also globally.
Other sports like golf, basketball, and soccer have adopted similar policies in recent years. For instance, the Ladies Professional Golf Association (LPGA) introduced a maternity leave policy in 2019 that maintains the same playing status for female athletes upon returning from maternity leaves.
Serena Williams has also been a strong advocate for paid parental leaves. In an interview with People magazine in 2019, Williams expressed the difficulties faced by working mothers, including the challenges of returning to work after a brief maternity leave.
Ohanian has also discussed the societal expectations on men to work outside the home and the lack of paid paternity leaves in the United States. He cited data suggesting that only 9 percent of workplaces in the US provide paid paternity leaves, and 76 percent of fathers return to work earlier due to the fear of losing their jobs. He stressed the importance of not being forced to choose between family and work.
What are your thoughts on the WTA’s latest initiative for tennis moms? Share your thoughts in the comments below.
