President Trump’s daughter and adviser Ivanka Trump said Thursday it was “ridiculous” that tennis champion Serena Williams will not be seeded for this year’s French Open after taking time off for maternity leave.
“This is ridiculous. @serenawilliam is a formidable athlete (best ever!) and a loving new mother,” Trump tweeted on Thursday, calling on the Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) to change its rules.
Trump was responding to an ESPN report that Williams, who was ranked No. 1 when she left to give birth to her daughter in September, will not be given a seed at Roland Garros ahead of this year’s tournament.{mosads}
Williams, a three-time French Open champion, is currently ranked No. 453 in the world, meaning she could be up against other top-ranked players in the early rounds in Paris.
The WTA is reportedly already considering changing the rules to protect the seeding of highly ranked players who take time off for maternity leave. However, that would not go into effect until next year.
Trump’s elder daughter has been an outspoken advocate for expanding maternity benefits in the workplace.