By Richard Pagliaro | @Tennis_Now | Thursday, March 20, 2025
Photograph credit score: Robert Prange/Getty
Grand Slam king Novak Djokovic is one in every of a number of stars supporting the PTPA’s lawsuit in opposition to the ATP, WTA and ITF.
Do not rely Carlos Alcaraz among the many advocates of the PTPA’s authorized motion.
MORE: PTPA Files Lawsuit Against ATP, WTA, ITF
Talking to the media on the Miami Open on Thursday, Alcaraz mentioned he was not conscious of the lawsuit earlier than its submitting and does not assist it.
“Actually, it was stunning for me, as a result of no person instructed me nothing about it,” Alcaraz instructed the media in Miami. “Solely yesterday I noticed within the social media…
“I noticed that there have been some statements that they put one thing that I mentioned in press convention, which I didn’t know. I don’t assist that letter. I don’t assist that, as a result of, as I mentioned, I didn’t know something about it.”
Led by Novak Djokovic, funding banker Invoice Ackman and Canadian Vasek Pospisil, the PTPA filed a lawsuit within the New York Federal Courtroom and the UK and European Union on Tuesday.
The lawsuit claims that the ATP, WTA, and Worldwide Tennis Federation (ITF) are actively engaged in corrupt enterprise practices that restrict gamers’ means to earn cash and prohibit their skilled lives.
𝗜𝘁’𝘀 𝘁𝗶𝗺𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝗳𝗶𝘅 𝘁𝗲𝗻𝗻𝗶𝘀.At this time, the PTPA and over a dozen gamers, on behalf of your complete skilled inhabitants, filed a sweeping collection of authorized actions in opposition to the ATP, WTA, ITF and ITIA to reform skilled tennis. https://t.co/1r4LWQpopP
— Skilled Tennis Gamers Affiliation (@ptpaplayers) March 18, 2025
Based in 2019, the PTPA advocates that gamers ought to earn extra prize cash at numerous tournaments than they’re allowed per WTA and ATP guidelines.
Djokovic mentioned regardless of the actual fact the PTPA “weren’t accepted” by the ATP, WTA and Grand Slams, the group is gaining traction and monetary backing and “must stay.”
“I believe there’s numerous authorized challenges alongside the way in which,” Djokovic mentioned in a previous interview. “We managed to beat all these challenges, and we’re gathering the suitable crew of individuals with advisory board, folks which might be going to assist with financing the affiliation, after all folks from the tennis world that can assist us set up ourselves inside the ecosystem, which I believe is essential as we weren’t accepted and embraced by Grand Slams, ATP nor WTA, so it makes issues troublesome for us, however this affiliation must stay.”
The PTPA is important as a result of it is solely dedicated to giving gamers a voice within the decision-making course of that impacts the game, Djokovic mentioned.
“It must be there as a result of gamers haven’t got one hundred pc illustration within the tennis world, sadly,” Djokovic mentioned. “With the affiliation they’ve that. Hopefully extra gamers might be displaying the willingness to know what PTPA can do for them.”
Reigning Roland Garros and Wimbledon champion Alcaraz mentioned whereas he has considerations about scheduling points, he does not assist the PTPA’s swimsuit.
“There are some issues that I agree with, there are another issues that I’m not agreeing with, however the primary factor right here is that I’m not supporting that, in order that’s it,” Alcaraz mentioned.
