Like an air of change! A revolution! The WTA, the body which manages the professional women’s tennis circuit, announced this Monday morning that two players, who had to take a break from their careers to become mothers, appeared in the top 10 of the world rankings in February. A “historic moment” welcomes the WTA.
“Belinda Bencic and Elina Svitolina today made history by being the first two mothers to appear simultaneously in the Top 10 of the WTA rankings,” the body wrote in a press release.
Swiss Belinda Bencic returned to the elite rankings in mid-January for the first time since she left the courts in September 2023 to give birth to her daughter Bella.
She has been joined in the Top 10 since Monday by the Ukrainian. Companion of Gaël Monfils and mother of a little Skaï since October 15, 2022, Svitolina climbed two positions in the rankings after her great performance during the Australian Open last week. She has indeed reached the final four of the first Grand Slam of the season.
“It’s a dream to return to the WTA Top 10 and doing it as a mother means a lot to me,” says Svitolina, 31, in the press release. I’m proud of my fighting spirit and resilience and I can’t thank the fans enough for their incredible support. »
“Very few people know or have experienced how difficult this journey is”
“In order to foster a sporting environment where motherhood and high-level performance are not considered competing choices, the WTA has introduced several new maternity initiatives in recent seasons,” the press release continued.
“Returning to the WTA Top 10 a year after my return to competition after my maternity leave is something that I am incredibly proud of,” assures the Swiss crowned Olympic champion in 2021. Very few people know or have experienced how difficult this journey is, but my family, my team and I have put all our energy, our work and our dedication to achieve this goal. They deserve as much recognition as anyone, and I am incredibly grateful for their support along the way. »
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