Novak Djokovic-Founded Player Union Launches Legal Blitz Against Tennis Governing Bodies

The Professional Tennis Players' Association (PTPA) was set up by Djokovic and Canadian Vasek Pospisil in 2020.

A tennis union co-founded by Novak Djokovic on Tuesday announced a series of legal actions aimed at the sport's governing bodies, alleging "anticompetitive restraints and abusive practices". The Professional Tennis Players' Association (PTPA) said it was suing the Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP), Women's Tennis Association (WTA), International Tennis Federation (ITF), and International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA) in a series of actions in the United States, United Kingdom and the European Union. The PTPA was set up by Djokovic and Canadian Vasek Pospisil in 2020. Some 20 players were named as part of at least one of the actions.

"The lawsuits expose systemic abuse, anti-competitive practices, and a blatant disregard for player welfare that have persisted for decades," said the PTPA statement. "The ATP, WTA, ITF, and ITIA operate as a cartel by implementing a number of draconian, interlocking anticompetitive restraints and abusive practices."

"Tennis is broken," said Ahmad Nassar, Executive Director of the PTPA. "Behind the glamorous veneer that the defendants promote, players are trapped in an unfair system that exploits their talent, suppresses their earnings, and jeopardises their health and safety."

The statement listed alleged abuses they are targeting.

It said the defendants "colluded", "fixing prize money and suppressing player earnings" forcing "an unsustainable schedule" and exploiting players financially.

The bodies show a "disregard for players" by making them "compete in 100-degree (Fahrenheit) heat, endure matches that ended at 3 AM, and play with different and injury-inducing tennis balls".