The Professional Tennis Players’ Association (PTPA), co-founded by Novak Djokovic and Vasek Pospisil, announced on Tuesday that it has filed a series of lawsuits against tennis’s governing bodies.
The lawsuits target the Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP), Women’s Tennis Association (WTA), International Tennis Federation (ITF), and International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA) in the United States, United Kingdom, and European Union.
The PTPA, established in 2020, alleges that these organizations engage in “anticompetitive restraints and abusive practices” that harm players’ welfare and earnings. Around 20 players, including Djokovic and Pospisil, are named as part of the legal actions.
The Professional Tennis Players Association (PTPA), the organization co-founded by 24-time Grand Slam champion Novak Djokovic, Tuesday labeled the biggest governing bodies in tennis as a “cartel” which suppresses wages, player opportunity and rival tournaments “to the harm of… pic.twitter.com/dfPRvvJ2Uy
— The Athletic (@TheAthletic) March 18, 2025Allegations Against Tennis Governing Bodies
In a statement, the PTPA accused the ATP, WTA, ITF, and ITIA of operating as a “cartel” that enforces “draconian, interlocking anticompetitive restraints and abusive practices.” The lawsuits aim to expose systemic issues such as:
- Prize money fixing and suppression of player earnings.
- An unsustainable tournament schedule that jeopardizes players’ health.
- Disregard for player safety, including forcing matches in 100-degree heat and late-night finishes.
- Use of injury-inducing tennis balls and inconsistent equipment standards.
- Restrictions on image rights and sponsorships.
- A “draconian” ranking system that disadvantages players.
The PTPA also highlighted violations of players’ privacy rights, citing invasive searches of personal devices, random drug tests, and interrogations without legal representation.
The players' union co-founded by Novak Djokovic has launched a global legal action against bodies including the ATP and WTA, accusing them of operating a 'corrupt, illegal and abusive system'https://t.co/D7r51yyUhV
— Times Sport (@TimesSport) March 18, 2025The PTPA’s executive council includes prominent players such as Hubert Hurkacz, Ons Jabeur, Bethanie Mattek-Sands, Taylor Townsend, and SaiSai Zheng. Additionally, players like Nick Kyrgios, Varvara Gracheva, Reilly Opelka, Corentin Moutet, and Taro Daniel have joined the lawsuits in the United States and United Kingdom.
Ahmad Nassar, Executive Director of the PTPA, stated, “Tennis is broken. 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.”
The lawsuits aim to hold the governing bodies accountable and push for reforms that prioritize player welfare, fair compensation, and transparency.
