👋 Welcome back to The Daily Theory, our morning rundown to help you stay on top of your favorite sport. I’m Allen McDuffee, your guide to all things tennis.

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On tap today: The WTA expands motherhood options, the ATP centralizes ball decisions, Ben Shelton is making a run to the top 10, Venus and Serena to launch a new podcast, Felix Auger-Aliassime takes on Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard, plus more in today’s tennis news.

Let’s tennis!

Four Points

🎾 An ace down the tee: The WTA unveiled an expansion of its Family Focus Program to help players in their fertility journey. The new initiative will provide paid maternity leave and grants via the PIF WTA Maternity Fund Program for players who are seeking fertility protection procedures such as egg or embryo freezing.

  • Why it matters: For too long, women on the tour have had to make tough choices between motherhood and the demands of the tour. In recent years, those difficult decisions have been exacerbated by the longevity of their careers thanks to advancements in sports medicine — and a change in mindsets.
  • The right message: “We understand that professional athletes can face a dilemma between focusing on their career and starting a family, and we are committed to supporting WTA players as they navigate and balance the choices associated with career and family,” said WTA chief executive officer Portia Archer. “After hearing from players that the option of fertility protection offers a proactive way to balance family goals and career ambitions, we’re delighted that this new measure, alongside the fertility grant offered by the PIF WTA Maternity Fund, will contribute to enabling our athletes to realize their full potential and become parents at a time of their choice.”

🎾 New balls, please: Complete with an explainer video, the ATP announced on Wednesday that they are closer to solving the ongoing ball issue in the sport — at least on the men’s side of things. Through a new centralized supplier selection process, the governing body says it expects to deliver tennis balls that have greater consistency so that players can avoid radical changes in ball performance from tournament to tournament.

  • What they said: “Still, we understand that consistency alone isn’t enough,” said Ross Hutchins, ATP chief sporting officer. “That’s why we're actively reviewing specifications and certification standards with expert input – and with ongoing player feedback at the core. Since 2023, we’ve collected feedback from more than 3,500 player surveys at Tour level.”
  • The timing: The ATP says they have about half of the tournaments on board for the new rules and processes, and that it is working to get the rest of the tournaments up to speed. Some exemptions will be made until existing contracts between tournaments and tennis ball manufacturers expire.
  • Why it matters: For years, the tennis ball issue has been a top complaint common to all players on the tour. Not only have players raised issues about their inability to play at the level they expect from week to week because of the quality, but inferior balls have been cited as the reason for shoulder, arm, elbow, and wrist injuries.
  • Yes, but: Why now? The ATP is in the middle of a public campaign to show it’s addressing issues named in the PTPA lawsuit, with particular emphasis on areas of concern that reverberate across social media.

🎾 Ben Shelton’s turn?: In the live rankings, Ben Shelton is barely number 10. By 20 points, to be exact. A lot can change between now and Monday, when the next official rankings come out. However, if he manages to pull it off, he will join two other Americans, Taylor Fritz and Tommy Paul (with Frances Tiafoe close behind, currently at 13).

  • What he said: “I feel way ahead of where I was at this time last year with my movement and grass-court play,” Shelton said after his first-round win in Stuttgart on Wednesday. “I have a lot of hope with what I can accomplish on the grass and I’m really looking forward to seeing what I can do the rest of the week here in Stuttgart.”
  • The numbers: Because Shelton only won one match before Wimbledon last year, he’s likely to reach that top 10 milestone before the third major of the year. The problem, however, will be holding onto it. He has fourth-round points to defend at Wimbledon. But who knows? Perhaps he’ll exceed them.

🎾 Didn’t see this one coming: Venus and Serena Williams have announced that they will be launching a new video podcast on Elon Musk’s X in August — just in time for the U.S. Open.

  • What they said: “We’re so excited to be launching our new podcast, a place where we will share our personal stories, have authentic conversations, spotlight important topics, and laugh a lot,” the Williams sisters said in statement provided to Variety. “This platform gives us the chance to engage directly with our fans who have supported us throughout our careers, and we’re excited to connect with audiences, old and new, in a way we’ve never done before.”
  • The numbers: Serena Williams has more than 10 million followers on the platform, while Venus has just over 1.6 million.
  • Intriguing: It’s a curious moment for the deal, given the polarizing platform and its equally divisive owner. On other social platforms, tennis fans are wondering why the pair didn’t pick quite literally any other venue for the project. It’s hard to imagine that a hefty payday isn’t the answer.