Two Moms Break Tennis Records Inside WTA Top 10

Women's tennis just made history in a way that will inspire athletes and working parents everywhere.

Switzerland's Belinda Bencic and Ukraine's Elina Svitolina are now ranked ninth and tenth in the world, marking the first time two mothers have cracked the top 10 simultaneously. Their achievement comes after both players returned from maternity leave to compete at the highest level of professional tennis.

Bencic, who gave birth to her daughter in 2023, returned to the top 10 in mid-January for the first time since becoming a mother. The Swiss star previously reached as high as world number four during her career.

Svitolina joined her this week after a stunning semifinal run at the Australian Open in Melbourne last month. The Ukrainian defeated top 10 players Coco Gauff and Mirra Andreeva during the tournament, proving her game is sharper than ever.

Both players benefited from the Women's Tennis Association's Special Ranking Rule for returning mothers and a new maternity fund launched last year. These programs help athletes maintain their professional careers while raising families.

"Coming back to the WTA Top 10 one year after returning to competition after maternity leave is something I am incredibly proud of," Bencic said. "Very few people know or have experienced how difficult that journey is."

Svitolina echoed that sentiment. "It's a dream to return to the WTA Top 10 and doing it as a mother means so much to me," she said.

The Ripple Effect

This milestone extends far beyond tennis courts. When two of the world's best athletes can compete at elite levels while raising young children, it challenges outdated assumptions about motherhood and career ambition.

The WTA's support programs prove that organizations can create systems where women don't have to choose between family and professional success. "Two mothers ranked inside the WTA Top 10 for the first time is an incredible moment for tennis and for women's sport," said WTA chief executive Portia Archer.

The changes are working across the sport. Australian teenager Maya Joint also hit a career high this week, rising to number 29 at just 19 years old.

These rankings show what becomes possible when institutions actively support women instead of creating barriers.