Novak Djokovic cuts ties with players’ group he co-founded amid transparency concerns | Novak Djokovic
Novak Djokovic is severing ties with the Professional Tennis Players Association, a group he co-founded that sued the sport’s governing bodies last year, writing on social media on Sunday that “my values and approach are no longer aligned with the current direction of the organization.”
The 24-time Grand Slam champion announced at the 2020 US Open that he and now-retired Canadian player Vasek Pospisil were launching the PTPA. They said they aimed to provide representation for players who are independent contractors in a largely individual sport.
One clearly defined goal over time was to become a full-fledged union that negotiates collective agreements like those that exist in team sports, although this was not achieved.
Djokovic said on X on Sunday that he had “constant concerns about transparency, governance and how 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 “systemic abuse, anti-competitive practices and blatant disregard for player welfare.” The four Grand Slam tournaments were then added as defendants.
Djokovic was not listed as a plaintiff when the complaint was filed; Pospisil and other players were.
That’s because, Djokovic said in March, “I want other players to step up.”
The lawsuit argues that players should have access to more income, claiming 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 “cap tournament prize money and limit players’ ability to earn money off the court.”
Djokovic said on Sunday that he “will continue to focus on my tennis, on my family and on my contribution to the sport in a way that reflects my principles and my integrity. I wish the players and those involved in their progress the best, but for me, this chapter is now closed.”
