Novak Djokovic steps away from tennis player organization over representation of ‘my voice and image’
Novak Djokovic announced Sunday that he is stepping away from the Professional Tennis Players Association, which he co-founded five years ago.
“After careful consideration, I have decided to step away completely from the Professional Tennis Players Association,” Djokovic announced on social media.
“This decision comes after ongoing concerns regarding transparency, governance, and the way my voice and image have been represented.
“I am proud of the vision that Vasek [Pospisil] and I shared when founding the PTPA, giving players a stronger, independent voice – but it has become clear that my values and approach are no longer aligned with the current direction of the organization.”
Ahmad Nassar, the executive director of the PTPA, did not immediately respond to a message seeking comment.
Djokovic’s move comes at the center of the PTPA’s most significant undertaking since its founding: a lawsuit against the six most powerful organizations in tennis.
The PTPA filed an antitrust suit against the ATP and WTA Tours in March, also naming the International Tennis Federation and the sport’s anti-doping authorities as defendants. Djokovic was not a named plaintiff in the lawsuit and said during a news conference at the Miami Open in March that he did not agree with all parts of it.
In September, the PTPA removed the latter two organizations and added the organizers of the Australian, French and U.S. Opens and Wimbledon, which it had previously labeled as “co-conspirators” with a “cartel” formed by the tours that restricted player opportunity, prize money and welfare.
In December, it said that it had reached an as-yet-undisclosed settlement with Tennis Australia. The other three Grand Slams and two tours have moved to dismiss the suit, while the ATP Tour has described it as “entirely without merit” and the WTA labeled it “baseless.” Nassar has said that the PTPA does not intend to litigate the suit all the way to a verdict and is seeking reform focused on prize money distribution and the tennis calendar.
Players, including Djokovic and others not associated with the suit, have been pushing for a higher proportion of revenue from the Grand Slams to go toward prize money. The figure is currently around 15 to 20 percent, where leagues like the NBA, NFL and MLB — which have collective bargaining agreements drawn up between players and leagues — award players closer to 50 percent of revenues.
Djokovic, 38, last year reached all four Grand Slam semifinals but did not win a major. He is seeking a 25th Grand Slam title this year, starting at the Australian Open Jan. 18.
This is a developing story and will be updated.
