The PTPA, a tennis player association, has filed a lawsuit against tennis governing bodies for the welfare of players and a fair share of earnings.
The Professional Tennis Players’ Association (PTPA) has sued the sport’s governing bodies for anti-competitive behavior and failing to take care of players.
The PTPA, co-founded by Novak Djokovic in 2019 to promote tennis players’ rights, announced the legal action Tuesday, citing years of unsuccessful attempts to reform the ATP. The lawsuit, which was filed in a New York court with more than a dozen players, takes aim at the ATP Tour, WTA Tour, International Tennis Federation (ITF) and International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA)
“Tennis is broken,” said Ahmad Nassar, the Executive Director of PTPA. “Players are stuck in a rigged system that takes advantage of their talent, limits their income and endangers their health and safety.”
The ATP dismissed the allegations and accused the PTPA of sowing “division and distraction,” and vowed to defend its position.
The lawsuit also includes Britain and the E.U., with the PTPA accusing governing bodies of fostering low player compensation, a restrictively tight ranking system and deadly playing conditions involving excessive heat and injury-inducing tennis balls.
Djokovic has for years called for better treatment of lower-ranked players, who he argued faced financial hardship. The PTPA says it consulted more than 250 players, including top-ranked stars, before launching the lawsuit.
