Novak Djokovic spoke out after Tuesday’s earthquake in tennis: “I’m not a fan of divisions, but at the same time, I have always fought for better representation, influence, and positioning of players globally.”
The Professional Tennis Players Association (PTPA), the union founded and led by the most successful player in history, has taken a series of lawsuits to court against the sport’s four main governing bodies: the ATP, WTA, ITF, and ITIA. The lawsuit accuses these entities of operating “like a cartel” within a “monopolistic, corrupt, illegal, and abusive” system.
That’s why, in Miami, where he is set to compete in the Miami Open Masters 1000 after a five-year absence, Djokovic’s pre-tournament press conference inevitably centered on the fire raging through the professional circuit.
“I’ve seen some changes, but there are still fundamental things to be done. I really hope that all the governing bodies, including the PTPA, will come together and solve these problems,” said the 24-time Grand Slam champion.
The PTPA filed lawsuits in the United States, the United Kingdom, and the European Union, signed by twelve professional players. The union claims to have the majority support of the top 300 players in the tours, including most of the top 20 in both men’s and women’s tennis. The case was taken to court with the representation of the prestigious law firm Weil, Gotshal & Manges LLP, in a move that could mark a turning point in tennis.
However, the Serbian star was not one of the players who signed the letter. In Miami, he explained why: “I felt that I didn’t need to sign the letter because I want other players to step up.”
“I’ve been very active, I believe, in tennis politics, trying to represent players in the player council, first as president for three years and being part of the council for almost seven years. I did my best during my very active career, even when I was playing a lot of matches and didn’t have much time or energy,” he explained.
“However, I also felt that it was my responsibility and duty to try to use my influence and position to support players and fight for their rights,” he added.
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“Tennis is broken,” said PTPA Executive Director Ahmad Nassar, explaining that after exhausting all avenues for dialogue, the players had no choice but to seek accountability in court.
According to the PTPA, the practices of the entities that have controlled tennis for decades have harmed not only the players but also the fans and the sport’s overall development. The union insists that this move is not meant to destabilize the circuit but rather to correct an unfair system and secure better conditions for future generations.
The PTPA’s claims include collusion to reduce competition, prize fixing and suppression of player earnings, ranking points mandates, an unsustainable calendar, disregard for players, financial exploitation of players, and violations of privacy rights.
