In the world of professional sports, an athlete’s body is not merely a means of personal expression; it represents their entire career. This reality is keenly felt by Sloane Stephens, a prominent American tennis player who has soared through the ranks with remarkable speed, being the fastest athlete to achieve such a feat in tennis history. With an illustrious career that boasts a top ranking of No. 3 in 2018 and a US Open title in 2017, she has firmly established herself as a force in women’s tennis. However, the intrinsic value of her physical prowess also presents a significant dilemma—how does one balance career ambitions with personal aspirations, particularly regarding reproductive health and family planning?
The challenge of taking time away from the game can jeopardize an athlete’s ranking and future opportunities. After a significant break due to injury, Stephens is acutely aware of the stakes involved. The Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) has provisions for athletes who miss time due to injury or recently, pregnancy, allowing them to enter tournaments using their previous ranking. Yet, this privilege does not extend to egg freezing, a process essential for many women contemplating their futures while balancing the rigors of an athletic career.
Stephens stands out as the only professional tennis player openly speaking about her experience with egg freezing. Her unique position has positioned her as an advocate for change—she is pushing for the implementation of policies protecting athletes who choose to pause their careers to focus on reproductive health.
In candid discussions about her life, she notes the societal pressures on women to excel in their professions while managing personal goals. Sloane articulates her journey toward egg freezing as one filled with reflection and future planning. As she approached 30 years of age, married, and facing health concerns, she took a step back to assess her life’s trajectory. With pivotal moments of inspiration, like an Oprah Winfrey quote about the feasibility of having it all but not all at once, she decided that freezing her eggs was a priority rather than an afterthought.
Stephens acknowledges the cultural shift in women’s athletics, where more athletes boldly pursue motherhood amidst competitive careers. Despite the progress, her path diverges from the norm. Having faced a previous career interruption due to injury, the decision to freeze her eggs represented a proactive move to secure her future while confronting the uncertainty that comes with the profession.
The process of egg freezing is intricate and often emotionally taxing. It involves comprehensive medical procedures, frequent appointments, and precise timing. In collaboration with a fertility clinic, Kindbody, Stephens has taken the initiative to navigate this personal health matter while maintaining the high standards expected of professional athletes.
The realities of egg retrieval are compounded by the rigorous demands of her sport. Sloane only has a limited window each year—namely her off-season—during which medical procedures can take place. Additionally, she faces unique constraints as a member of the WTA, which requires compliance with strict drug testing protocols. These requirements highlight the complexities athletes must navigate, as even their health choices can become entangled with competitive integrity.
With her personal experience made public, Stephens aims to empower fellow athletes. She seeks to ignite conversations around fertility and reproductive choice in sports, advocating for innovations that would allow female athletes the autonomy to manage their reproductive futures without jeopardizing their careers.
Although she is leveraging her platform to influence change within tennis, Stephens envisions a landscape where all female athletes—across various sports—have similar opportunities. Her dedication stems from a belief in the holistic treatment of women in sports. Athletes should not be merely seen as competitors but as multifaceted individuals with dreams and aspirations beyond the field or court.
Through her role as a council member for the WTA, she expresses a commitment to advancing the conversation of equality in sports, drawing parallels between historical struggles and contemporary reproductive rights. With advancements in reproductive technology, Stephens is hopeful that the sporting world will adapt, ensuring that athletes can pursue family planning alongside their competitive careers without fear of losing their status.
Sloane Stephens exemplifies the balance of being both a professional athlete and a proactive advocate for women’s rights in sports. Her journey unveils the complexities female athletes face and highlights the pressing need for systemic changes to support their comprehensive well-being. As she prepares for her upcoming retrieval cycle, her mission remains clear: to ensure women not only feel supported in their athletic pursuits but also empowered in their choices surrounding family and health.