Tennis civil war: Djokovic’s union takes swing at ‘corrupt’ bigwigs
Sports, Tennis: The Professional Tennis Players' Association was set up by Novak and Vasek Pospisil in 2020. Some 20 players were named as part of at least one of the actions
The Professional Tennis Players' Association (PTPA), co-founded by Novak Djokovic and Vasek Pospisil in 2020, has launched legal actions against the sport’s major governing bodies, accusing them of “anticompetitive restraints and abusive practices.”
The lawsuits target the Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP), Women’s Tennis Association (WTA), International Tennis Federation (ITF), and International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA). Filed in the United States, United Kingdom, and European Union, the actions involve around 20 players.
“The lawsuits expose systemic abuse, anti-competitive practices, and a blatant disregard for player welfare that have persisted for decades,” the PTPA stated. It accused the governing bodies of acting as a “cartel” that enforces restrictive policies to suppress player earnings and impose harsh playing conditions.
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Ahmad Nassar, Executive Director of the PTPA, declared, “Tennis is broken. Behind the glamorous image, players are trapped in an unfair system that exploits their talent, suppresses their earnings, and jeopardizes their health and safety.”
The PTPA alleges the governing bodies collude to fix prize money, enforce an unsustainable schedule, and disregard player welfare. It highlighted extreme playing conditions, including excessive heat, late-night matches, and inconsistent tennis balls that lead to injuries.
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Other complaints include restrictions on sponsorship deals, control over image rights, and an unfair ranking points system. The PTPA also raised concerns over privacy violations, citing invasive searches of players’ personal devices, late-night drug tests, and interrogations without legal representation.
Alongside Djokovic and Pospisil, the PTPA’s executive council includes Hubert Hurkacz, Ons Jabeur, Bethanie Mattek-Sands, Taylor Townsend, and SaiSai Zheng. Several players, including Nick Kyrgios, Varvara Gracheva, Reilly Opelka, Corentin Moutet, and Taro Daniel, have joined the legal fight in various jurisdictions.
(With inputs from agencies)
