Tunisia's former world number two Ons Jabeur announced on Monday that she is expecting her first child and that "the court will have to wait a little longer".
The 31-year-old, currently ranked 79th, said that she would be setting aside her career temporarily to focus on her new family life, as she is expecting a baby boy in April.
"I took a little break to reset and recharge ... Turns out, we’ve been planning the cutest comeback ever,” the three-time Grand Slam runner-up, known as the "Minister of Happiness", posted on Instagram.
Jabeur, who has won five WTA singles titles during her career, has been open about her struggles with depression on a demanding tour schedule and her announcement comes amid ongoing concerns over the strenuous tennis calendar.
Jabeur, who is married to the former fencer Karim Kamoun, has not played since retiring with breathing difficulties from her Wimbledon first round match in July.
But last week she told The National she is determined to one day make a full comeback to the WTA Tour.
“I just want to enjoy [it] and when my mind and body tell me you're ready, you want to come back, then I will come back,” she said.
Jabeur has been busy setting up an academy in Dubai which is expected to officially open later this month.
“My break is going well. I'm discovering life a little bit outside tennis," she added. “I've been busy with different things, the foundation, the academy. I'm trying to maybe launch new projects as well, so it's been fun.”
