Why Serena Williams Should NOT be Ranked After Pregnancy

Ok, guys, let’s start with this premise. We live in a much softer world than we used to, everybody wants special treatment for something.

Serena Williams is upset because she recently found out she had lost her ranking.

Pregnancy

Why has Serena been gone so long? Because she was pregnant. Granted, in a normal job you are given a certain amount of time off and don’t lose your place while you are gone. But, Serena doesn’t have a “normal” job. She is a professional athlete who is rewarded for performance and nothing else.

Why should a female athlete get special treatment when she’s pregnant? She shouldn’t! The world of tennis did not come to a screeching halt when Serena bowed out to have a child.

What about the other female players?

No other player should lose their ranking when a player returns due to pregnancy or injury. Think about it. Players work their asses off for a ranking-only to have it taken by someone who hasn’t been competing. I know it sucks that you lose your ranking while having a child, but life isn’t fair. If you bring Serena back to the French Open and rank her number one, the player ranked 32 gets knocked out. That player earned the number 32 ranking.  Serena doesn’t because she hasn’t been playing.

What should be done about this?

You can bet since it affects Serena something will be done about it, but it shouldn’t. A pro athlete should be judged strictly on performance and nothing else. Hurt feelings should not be involved. In the end, you get what you deserve–look for Serena to be back at the top of the rankings in a very short time.