See you in court: Players file suit against ATP

The ATP was Tuesday facing an antitrust lawsuit filed by a reported 12 players as Novak Djokovic’s union goes to war with the sanctioning body.

The Professional Tennis Players Association will drag tine ATP into the American legal process over what the PTPA labels as a “cartel.”

Also included in the action are the women’s WTA, the Grand Slam umbrella body the International Tennis Federation and the sport’s antidoping bosses at the International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA).

The 163-page complaint filed in New York is also being mooted in the EU and the UK, home of Wimbledon.

Complaints by players include issues such as prize money, the rankings system and schedule, the ITIA investigative practices and also complain about (mainly lower-ranking) players being deprived of ancillary and marketing income which they deserve.

With major stars of the game earning tens of millions per season – including sponsorship monies – the little people represented by the PTPA have been feeling left out for years.

The PTPA got its start in 2022 spearheaded by Canadian Vasek Popspil and former world No. 1 Djokovic.

The current lawsuit includes controversial Aussie Nick Kyrgios as a plaintiff, with the legal action seeking an American jury trial.

“Tennis is broken,” PTPA executive director Ahmad Nassar said. “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.”

The ATP has rejected the claims and said they are ready for a legal battle, saying the action “to be entirely without merit.” 

“Throughout more than three decades, ATP’s 50-50 governance structure has ensured that players and tournaments have an equal voice in shaping the sport’s direction at the highest level.”

The sanctioning body points to a USD 70 million prize money and player payout revenue over the last five years, with the ATP suggesting it is taking care of minor players with its reforms.

The WTA also jumped in with a statement on the “misguided” lawsuit while antidoping also protested their innocence.

Pospisil said the battle for better pay has only begun, with accusations that the ATP and its partner tournament conspire to cap prize money to keep a larger share for themselves..

The PTPA also complained about playing conditions including extreme heat and 3 a.m. match finishes in front of near-empty stands – most notably at the US and Australian Opens, the major offenders.

The suit says tennis players receive only 17 percent of tournament revenues whereas in other sports – read gold – the split is closer to 35-50 percent.

“This is about fairness, safety, and basic human dignity,” Pospisil said in a statement. 

“I’m one of the more fortunate players and I’ve still had to sleep in my car when travelling 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.”

He added, “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.”

Main photo:- Executive Director Ahmad Nassar and Head of PTPA Global Services Tarik Koubaa in Dubai – ©PTPA