A tennis players’ union co-founded by Novak Djokovic has started legal action against the sport’s governing bodies.
The Professional Tennis Players’ Association (PTPA) has filed papers at the United States District Court in New York.
The lawsuit makes a number of strong claims around a number of issues – the PTPA alleges there are anti-competitive practices and a lack of player welfare in the sport.
It says “professional tennis players are stuck in a rigged game” which gives them “limited control over their own careers and brands”.
They are taking action against the Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP), Women’s Tennis Association (WTA), International Tennis Federation (ITF) and International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA).
The complaint is being brought by the PTPA and 12 players – including Djokovic, his co-founder Vasek Pospisil and Nick Kyrgios – “on behalf of the entire player population”.
Executive director of the PTPA Ahmad Nassar said: “Tennis is broken. 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.
“We have exhausted all options for reform through dialogue, and the governing bodies have left us no choice but to seek accountability through the courts. Fixing these systemic failures isn’t about disrupting tennis – it’s about saving it for the generations of players and fans to come.”
Sky Sports are attempting to contact the ATP, WTA, ITF and the ITIA for comment.
