The US Open will start considering pregnancy situations when making seedings, so players aren't penalised for starting families, US Tennis Association president Katrina Adams said in a New York Times report.

The change comes after criticism of French Open officials for how they handled the case of former World No. 1 Serena Williams in her Grand Slam return last month after giving birth to a daughter last September. "It's the right thing to do for these mothers that are coming back," Adams told the Times. "We think it's a good message for our current female players and future players. It's OK to go out and be a woman and become a mother and then come back to your job and I think that's a bigger message."