Why Djokovic-led players' union has filed lawsuit against tennis organizations
What's the story
The Professional Tennis Players Association (PTPA), co-founded by legend Novak Djokovic in 2020, has filed a lawsuit against the sport's governing bodies.
The lawsuit alleges anti-competitive practices and failure to prioritize player welfare.
The PTPA alleges that despite years of efforts to transform professional tennis, it went the legal way due to the "monopolistic control" over the sport.
Legal action
PTPA files lawsuit against multiple tennis organizations
The PTPA has sued several major tennis organizations, including the ATP Tour, WTA Tour, International Tennis Federation (ITF), and the International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA), in a New York court.
Ahmad Nassar, the executive director of PTPA, said "tennis is broken." He added that players are stuck in an "unfair system" that exploits their talent and puts their health and safety at risk.
Response
How ATP and WTA have responded
In its response to the lawsuit, the ATP has accused the PTPA of opting for "division and distraction" over collaboration.
The body firmly refutes the allegations leveled by the PTPA and intends to defend its position vigorously.
Meanwhile, WTA defended its commitment to women's tennis growth, calling the lawsuit "baseless."
The body stressed that all decisions at board level include player input through their elected representatives.
Player support
Nick Kyrgios supports PTPA's lawsuit
Australian tennis star Nick Kyrgios, one of the plaintiffs in the suit, sees this legal action as a "special moment" for tennis.
He feels it is high time players' voices are heard and that the group is determined to shape the future of the sport.
Kyrgios was unhappy with current structures in tennis and said, "Things needed to change. It's a big day for tennis."
Allegations
PTPA's allegations against governing bodies
The PTPA has accused the governing bodies of functioning as a "cartel."
The union alleges that these organizations pay "artificially low compensation to professional tennis players" and impose a "draconian" ranking system that compels players to participate in certain tournaments.
The lawsuit also mentions an unsustainable schedule, extreme playing conditions, injury-inducing tennis balls, and violations of privacy rights through random drug tests.