Alicia Molik hopes to see yet more mothers back on tour after the last of the tennis super mums bowed out of the Australian Open in Melbourne.
Two-time champion Victoria Azarenka succumbed 7-6 (8-6) 6-4 to inspired Ukrainian qualifier Dayana Yastremska on Monday, minutes after Elina Svitolina tearfully withdrew just three games into her fourth-round match with a back injury.
The Ukrainian former world No.3 was trailing unseeded Czech teenager Linda Noskova 3-0 when she was retired after failing to respond to courtside treatment from a tournament physio.
Azarenka and Svitolina were among a record eight mothers, including former Open winners Naomi Osaka, Caroline Wozniacki and Angelique Kerber, who competed at Melbourne Park this year.
"I've loved watching the mums' club and many of the mums come back to the tour," said Molik, who became a mother after retiring from the tour.
"It just adds a huge amount of interest but also I think inspiration for the next generation to know that, yes, women can still have a wonderful career, can still take time out of the sport and come back and achieve.
"The precedent has been set largely from mums like Lindsay (Davenport) and Kim Clijsters. So if they can do it, the next generation can do it."
Champion at Melbourne Park in 2019 and 2021, Osaka lost a high-quality first-round encounter with French world No.19 Caroline Garcia just six months after having her daughter Shai last July.
"Osaka came back extremely soon after having her child. Despite losing to Garcia, I was incredibly impressed with her level," Molik said.
"I think she has a grand slam on the horizon within the next 18 months. I'm not sure if anyone else agrees with me here but she's way ahead of where I thought she would be at this point in time.
"Angelique Kerber too, I've been enjoying watching her comeback.
"The other interesting to note is that the mums who have returned, they left the sport still in a really healthy state.
"They didn't have injuries, they weren't leaving because of a physical reason other than deciding to start a family."
Molik reckons she's never seen former No.1 Osaka, who also had a mental health break before taking maternity leave, smile so much in her entire career.
"We know how much of a bubble it is. So having perspective, everyone who is a mum comes back with a new-found appreciation and perspective for the sport that they mostly love," said the former Open quarter-finalist.
"But I think when you're in the thick of it, you can learn to hate it very quickly as well - everything that comes with professional sport.
"So motherhood brings a really healthy perspective. Look what Vika (Aazarenka) is achieving, at 34 years of age, too.
"She's still moving as well as she was when she was 21.
"Elina sadly just retired but I watched her match and I thought she was a real contender here.
"Maybe it's a secret. Maybe we need more mums on tour, and dads. Shout-out to the dads, too."
