The Professional Tennis Players Association (PTPA), co-founded by Novak Djokovic, has initiated legal action against the governing bodies of tennis, alleging “anti-competitive practices and a blatant disregard for player welfare.”
The lawsuit marks a significant escalation in the long-standing dispute between the PTPA and organizations such as the ATP, WTA, ITF, and Grand Slam tournaments.
Since its establishment in 2019, the PTPA has advocated for improved rights and conditions for tennis players, often finding itself at odds with the existing structures that oversee the sport.
Twelve current and former players, including Djokovic, fellow co-founder Vasek Pospisil, and Nick Kyrgios, are listed as plaintiffs in the lawsuit.
In a statement released on Tuesday, the PTPA stated, “Following years of good-faith efforts to reform professional tennis, the Professional Tennis Players Association (PTPA) has taken decisive legal action.”
The statement further detailed that legal actions have been initiated in the US, UK, and EU against the Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP), Women’s Tennis Association (WTA), International Tennis Federation (ITF), and International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA).
The lawsuits aim to expose systemic abuse, anti-competitive practices, and a disregard for player welfare that the PTPA claims has persisted for decades.
