Tatjana Maria, a Wimbledon semi-finalist, has advocated for additional WTA tournaments to include childcare facilities for mothers, as well as for pregnancy and medical issues to be classed separately.
The German, who is presently ranked 67, married former tennis player turned coach Charles-Edouard Maria in 2013, and seven months later gave birth to their first daughter, Charlotte.
She then took another sabbatical from the tour in 2021 to give birth to Cecilia before returning to the tour at the age of 34 and reaching the Wimbledon semi-finals last year.
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Mothers on the tour include Victoria Azarenka, Taylor Townsend, Yanina Wickmayer, Evgeniya Rodina, and Elina Svitolina, who is back on tour after giving birth to Skai, her and Gael Monfils’ newborn girl, in October.
With an increasing number of parents, Maria has urged the Women’s Tennis Association to make childcare facilities available at all events, not only the Grand Slams and a few others, including the 1000 tournaments.
“We have two girls, Charlotte and Ceci [Cecilia] – they both play amazing tennis, so we travel everywhere together,” Maria, who has three singles titles, explained.
“It appears that [they will become tennis players].” I practise with Charlotte every day, and Ceci is only two years old and is striking the ball. My spouse has a demanding career.”
The 35-year-old has also hailed Svitolina’s comeback to the circuit after the Ukrainian advanced to the quarterfinals of the French Open, her first Grand Slam since giving birth eight months ago.
“Everyone is different, but when I returned three months after my pregnancies, it was moving pretty quickly,” Maria explained. “I’m delighted for her [Svitolina]. It is critical that all of the mothers out there play decent tennis. I hope it causes the WTA to change some rules and assist the mothers on tour.”
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With insurance concerns and the tour continuously travelling across the world, not all smaller events are able to provide facilities, but they compensate with prize money, transportation, food, motels, and nutrition for all participants.
However, Maria feels that the governing body could do more, including revising the conditions for returning mothers to the tour.
Players returning to the game after a maternity leave or an injury are now permitted to use their ranking at the time of departure for a period of three years. This rating allows you to attend 12 events in three years, but the German believes maternity leave and injury should be treated individually.
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