The 24-time Grand Slam champion launched the breakaway organization alongside Canadian player Vasek Pospisil in 2021. They said they aimed to provide representation for players who are independent contractors in a largely individual sport.
One of the goals that became clear along the way was to become a kind of full-fledged union that negotiates collective bargaining agreements like those that exist in team sports, although that sort of thing hasn’t happened.
Djokovic, 24-time Grand Slam champion, said this on Sunday on X that he had “ongoing concerns about transparency, governance and the way my voice and image have been represented.”
The PTPA filed a class-action lawsuit in March against the women’s and men’s tours, the International Tennis Federation and the Sports Integrity Agency, accusing the organizations of “systematic abuse, anti-competitive practices and a blatant disregard for player welfare.” The four Grand Slam tournaments were later added as defendants.
Djokovic was not listed as a plaintiff when the lawsuit was filed; Pospisil, who is now retired, and other players were too.
That’s because Djokovic said in March: “I want other players to go a step further.”
The lawsuit says players should be given access to more revenue, arguing that the governing bodies that oversee the four Grand Slam tournaments – Wimbledon, the US Open, the French Open and the Australian Open – and other professional events “restrict prize money tournaments and restrict players’ ability to earn money off the court.”
Djokovic said on Sunday that he “will continue to focus on my tennis, my family and contributing to the sport in a way that reflects my principles and integrity. I wish the players and those involved the best in their further development, but for me this chapter is now closed.”
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