Mothers returning to tennis will have increased protection for their rankings on the WTA Tour from next season.
Players coming back from childbirth, or injury, will now be able to use their previous ranking to enter 12 tournaments over a three-year period.
But Serena Williams’ wish for returning mothers to be seeded in line with that ranking has not been granted.
The WTA has instead decided to guarantee they will not face a seeded player in a tournament’s opening round.
As things stand, players must begin their comeback within two years, and then have a further year in which they can enter eight events under their protected ranking – the ranking held at the start of their absence. Read more