22
Tennis Players’ Association Files Lawsuits Against Major Tours and Governing Bodies
| Section | Details |
|---|---|
| Source | CNN |
| Overview | The Professional Tennis Players’ Association (PTPA), co-founded by Novak Djokovic, has filed multiple lawsuits around the world against the sport’s tours and governing bodies. The lawsuit, filed in the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York, alleges the “monopolization” of men’s and women’s tennis and the “disregard” of player interests. The PTPA is taking legal action against the Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP), Women’s Tennis Association (WTA), International Tennis Federation (ITF), and International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA), accusing them of operating “as a cartel.” The group is filing lawsuits in New York, as well as in the European Union and United Kingdom. |
| Key Areas of the Lawsuit | The wide-ranging lawsuit covers prize money, the rankings system and schedule, the investigative processes of the ITIA, and name, image, and likeness (NIL) compensation among other areas. |
| Plaintiffs | Twelve players, including PTPA co-founder Vasek Pospisil and 2022 Wimbledon finalist Nick Kyrgios, are named as plaintiffs in the complaint filed in the US, which demands a jury trial. |
| PTPA Statement | “Tennis is broken,” Ahmad Nassar, executive director of the PTPA, said in a statement. “Behind the glamorous veneer that the Defendants promote, players are trapped in an unfair system that exploits their talent, suppresses their earnings, and jeopardizes 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.” |
| ATP Response | The ATP said in a statement that they “strongly reject the premise of the PTPA’s claims” and “believe the case to be entirely without merit,” while adding they will “vigorously defend” their position. The ATP highlighted its role in the global growth of men’s professional tennis and its 50-50 governance structure, ensuring players and tournaments have an equal voice. They also mentioned a $70 million increase in player revenue over the past five years and providing a minimum guaranteed income for the world’s top 250 singles players. |
| WTA Response | The WTA responded by saying it would defend its position “vigorously,” calling the PTPA’s suit “both regrettable and misguided.” The WTA emphasized that players, as equal members alongside tournaments, have an essential and influential voice in the governance of the WTA. |
| ITF and ITIA Responses | The ITIA confirmed to CNN that it is aware of the lawsuits but has no comment at this time. The ITF said in a statement that it would take time to consider an appropriate response, emphasizing its role as a not-for-profit organization and global guardian of the game, ensuring the growth and sustainability of tennis. |
| PTPA Claims | The PTPA claims its legal action is “backed overwhelmingly” by the top 250+ men’s and women’s players, including most of the top 20 players on each tour. The PTPA alleges that the tours “collude” to cap prize money, prevent new competitors and tournaments from entering the market, impose a “draconian” ranking points system, and award players no compensation from NIL rights. Tennis players are only paid 17% of revenues, compared to other sports which range between 35%-50%. The PTPA also highlights the “disregard for players” including forcing them to compete in extreme conditions, such as 100-degree Fahrenheit heat, and with different “injury-inducing” tennis balls. |
| Player Perspective | Vasek Pospisil, one of the plaintiffs, said, “This is not just about money – it’s about fairness, safety, and basic human dignity. I’m one of the more fortunate players and I’ve still had to sleep in my car when traveling to matches early on in my career. Imagine an NFL player being told that he had to sleep in his car at an away game. It’s absurd and would never happen, obviously. No other major sport treats its athletes this way. The governing bodies force us into unfair contracts, impose inhumane schedules, and punish us for speaking out.” |
| Legal Demands | The group is seeking the governing bodies to be found in violation of the Sherman Act and for the court to award damages to each player included as a plaintiff in an amount to be determined at trial. The suit also asks the court to order the governing bodies to give up profits they’ve received, establish a trust from which the players can seek restitution, and any other relief the court deems proper. |