I think that I would have skipped on past the nuance that the WTA Age eligibility rules emerged from the insane summer of 1994, but Coco Gauff makes this topic current and almost irresistible to me. I guess that I have succumbed to Coco mania in my own way. Indulge me.
In early May of 1994, the WTC named a panel of seven medical and health experts to study possible changes to the minimum age requirement for players on the WTA Tour. The commission was chartered with the task of reviewing the rules “with a view toward promoting career longevity of women professional tennis players.” At that time, girls were allowed to turn pro at age 13 years and were permitted to play 15 events in their first year.
At the time, the focus was very much on career longevity, as teen burnout was seen as a primary issue that was robbing the WTA of its most marketable stars. It should be observed that the commission founded by the WTA actually preceded the arrest of Jennifer Capriati. Articles describing both the commission and the charter preceded that event by a week or so.
Not to be left out of the action, the ITF also announced a special committee to consider raising the minimum age limit for players on the women’s tour. That committee made up of child psychologists, doctors, and players was scheduled to meet during Wimbledon that year. The ITF special committee was chartered specifically to consider if the minimum age of women on tour should be raised to 16.
Jerry Diamond, a women’s tennis promoter during that era is credited with proposing a phased in approach to play that closely resembles the rule that ultimately emerged. Diamond’s recommendation was to allow 12 tournaments at age 15 and a full schedule starting at 16.
The current WTA Age Eligibility Restrictions breaks down as follows:
| Age | Events | Special Conditions/Comments |
| 13 | 0 | Players under the age of 14 are not eligible to play in WTA events. |
| 14 | 8 | Player may earn a ranking, but cannot participate in WTA Tournaments by direct ranking acceptance. Player can play in no more that three events with prize money at $60,000 and above. May receive wild cards to three events with restrictions. |
| 15 | 10 | Player may also participate in the WTA Finals (if qualified) and the Federation Cup. Player may receive a maximum of three wild cards with restrictions. |
| 16 | 12 | Player may also participate in the WTA Finals (if qualified) and the Federation Cup. Player may receive a maximum of four wild cards with restrictions. |
| 17 | 16 | Player may also participate in the WTA Finals (if qualified) and the Federation Cup. Player may receive the maximum number of wild cards that can be earned by any player. |
| 18 | Unlimited | No age based individual player restrictions. |
It is somewhat in vogue to refer to the WTA Age Eligibility restrictions as ‘The Capriati Rule” though to be fair the wheels were already in motion for some sort of restriction prior to her hitting rock bottom in 1994.
In the summer of 1994, the parents of a pair of emerging teen prodigies were taking note of the events in women’s tennis with great trepidation. Their daughters were being actively courted for endorsement deals, and it was widely known that Reebok had already been helping to defray expenses. The family made the decision to delay the professional debut of one of their kids, which had been slated to occur at the Virginia Slims of Las Angeles in August of that year.
The parents may have been the rare exception at the time, exhibiting careful and thoughtful navigation of their children into professional tennis. They were open and was candid that they might not have all the best answers for raising tennis prodigies. It was clear that they were prioritizing ensuring that their daughters would be prepared for life after tennis.
You may have heard of the parents. The last name is Williams, Richard and Oracene. If that doesn’t ring a bell, then certainly you have heard of the the two daughters, Venus and Serena.
The Williams sisters are a very useful timeline reference point to when the WTA Age Eligibility Rules were enacted. Venus had already turned pro when the commission ultimately made the recommendations that would be codified in the rules and thus never played under any limitations. Serena’s professional career was launched with the restrictions fully in force. I think it worked out OK for both of them.
- “How Much Tennis can Coco Gauff Play in 2020?“
- “WTC to Study Teen Burnout,” The Sun Herald (Sydney), May 8, 1994.
- “Minimum Age Studied,” The Toronto Sun, May 22, 1994.
- “Promoter Offers Age of Reason – Let 14-15 year olds Play Fewer Events,” Charles Bricker, Fort Lauderdale Sun Sentinel, August 7, 1994.
- “2020 WTA Rulebook“
- “Tennis’ teen-age wasteland – Williams family tries to bead odds of early troubles,” Rachel Shuster, USA Today, June 7, 1994.
- “Capriati’s situation leads Williams to put off debut,” Darrell Fry, Tampa Bay Times, July 26, 1994.
