National Women’s Health Week starts each year on Mother’s Day in the United States to encourage women and girls to make their health a priority. The mission of National Women's Health Week coincides with the WTA's recent partnership with Hologic, one of the world's top medical technology innovators. The alliance allows the WTA and Hologic to combine forces to champion women and shine a spotlight on women's health.
"The things that Hologic offer for us are so important because we're so busy and I don't think we end up taking care of ourselves the way we should sometimes and checking on our own wellbeing," Amanda Anisimova said. "That's very important."
In a first for WTA athletes, those competing in the BNP Paribas Open had the opportunity to undergo an evaluation with Hologic’s Horizon® DXA system. The system provides detailed analysis of bone density and body composition by looking at multiple factors and segmented data on different parts of the body.
"It's great because we're on the road and we're traveling so much," Jessica Pegula said. "We think of our health in other ways in terms of injuries and ailments, more muscular issues. But there's a lot of other stuff when you're a woman that is going on from when you're 15 to when you're in your 30s. I just think it's amazing that they're prioritizing that because it's really important.
The pandemic has added additional urgency to the messaging around early detection and women's access to health care.
"In the pandemic, many women did not access doctor appointments or screening appointments," said Jose Yebra, General Manager of France, Italy, and Iberia for Hologic. "As a consequence, we have seen an increase in cases of breast and cervical cancer."
The heavy travel demands and the 10-month tennis calendar can be a distraction of professional tennis players when it comes to their health. WTA players are some of the fittest athletes on the planet, but when it comes to their holistic health and wellness, players can struggle just like everyone else to keep up with their appointments.
"God forbid nothing happens to any of us, but it's important to put it in players' minds to start thinking about it," Pegula said. "Sometimes we get busy and sometimes we don't know that we need certain vaccines or certain checks. Sometimes you can forget.
"But don't forget to go to your appointments. Don't forget to get tested. It's super important. Early detection is key."
