Serena Williams

[Samthefootball123]

Hello, now I don't know the best place to post this but as some of you might know the tennis player Serena Williams had her baby daughter back in September and is now back playing tennis. She is doing fantastically but there is a debate going on if female tennis stars who have kids should go back to their ranking they had before they stopped. In my opinion I think they should go back to the ranking but im interested in hearing other posters views

I don't think it would be fair on the other players who are competing and moving up the rankings to be pushed down just because Serena is back so no I don't think so.

Then how do you decide where to put her? Surely once she starts playing, if she has got worse, she will naturally go down the rankings....?

It’s an interesting question..

I'm sure there will be many people who say she should, but I think it would be hugely unfair on those who've earned their ranking at the time.

If she deserves it, she'll work her way back there pretty quickly.

Men People who have been off with injury keep their ranking when they return.

The effects on the body from pregnancy are analogous to those of a sports injury - eg damaged muscle - and "returners after pregnancy" should be treated the same way as anyone returning after a knee op or something.

I guess she is like any player who takes time out for whatever reason other players will over take you so you need to start competing again which Serena is doing.

Men People who have been off with injury keep their ranking when they return

Jeezo I totally missed this before I posted and my mind instantly changed I didn't know that

"Currently, the WTA provides players returning from injury layoffs or pregnancy with a “special ranking” that can be used to enter tournaments, but not for seeding at those tournaments. Players can enter eight events using the protected ranking they had when they left"

I suppose it depends how much time she took off and how much she maintained her fitness in that time.

Jayy. There's an article about this very subject in The Guardian today, saying how unfair it is that Serena has dropped to #450 or something, when a player who takes time off for treatment for a sports injury keepstheir ranking

It should be the same as man or woman with an injury, whatever that is.

Its a physical process with a physical impact.