By Richard Pagliaro | @Tennis_Now | Friday, March 21, 2025
Picture credit score: Matthew Calvis
When Grand Slam king Novak Djokovic surveys the tennis panorama, he is struck by unsettling imaginative and prescient.
Former world No. 1 Djokovic sees the game creeping towards a tennis feudal system with governing our bodies and a few tournaments thriving, whereas gamers are getting priced out of the competitors.
Assembly the media in Miami earlier than his opening-round match vs. Rinky Hijikata, Djokovic was requested to evaluate the PTPA’s lawsuit towards the ATP, WTA and ITF.
Olympic gold-medal champion Djokovic mentioned the first problem is gamers, notably lower-ranked gamers, should not receiving an ample piece of the income pie. Consequently, some lower-ranked gamers are pressured out of the game just because they can’t afford the price of international journey and training.
“At present, there should not sufficient gamers [making a] residing from this sport on the very best degree, we’re incomes good cash,” Djokovic informed the media in Miami. “However the cause why I have been speaking for years concerning the equal cut up of the pie, or enhance of the prize cash, is due to the grassroot ranges.
“And the women and men, skilled tennis gamers which are preventing to principally proceed taking part in the game. I do know, personally, very large variety of gamers which have left tennis, notably throughout COVID time due to lack of funds. And so, I feel I do not know precisely these days, the variety of gamers which are in a position to make a residing from this sport?”
Djokovic estimates about 400 gamers making a residing on the professional Excursions and given the very fact tennis is without doubt one of the most widely-viewed sports activities and generates tons of of tens of millions in playing {dollars}, that quantity is unacceptable to him.
“I feel it is most likely – singles, doubles, males, girls mixed – most likely round 400 [players who make a living from tennis],” Djokovic mentioned. “Which isn’t sufficient for a really international sport that we now have. I wish to see that quantity develop. I have been saying this rather a lot within the media within the final a number of years.
“However based mostly on some research and analysis that was achieved concerning the reputation of the sports activities tennis is definitely the third or fourth hottest sport on the planet. I feel we’re sharing the third spot with cricket. Primary is clearly soccer, or soccer, as you name it, [then] basketball, and it was adopted by greater than nearly 2 billion individuals. And tennis and cricket is 1.3 billion individuals, however by way of maximizing its potential, and business worth, we’re quantity 9, or ten. So, so there’s big [potential].”
𝗜𝘁’𝘀 𝘁𝗶𝗺𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝗳𝗶𝘅 𝘁𝗲𝗻𝗻𝗶𝘀.At the moment, the PTPA and over a dozen gamers, on behalf of your entire skilled inhabitants, filed a sweeping collection of authorized actions towards the ATP, WTA, ITF and ITIA to reform skilled tennis. https://t.co/1r4LWQpopP
— Skilled Tennis Gamers Affiliation (@ptpaplayers) March 18, 2025
Based in 2019, the PTPA has advocated for skilled tennis gamers to have extra say and management over their careers, together with sponsorship and off-court incomes alternatives that they really feel are overly restricted by their participation in ATP and WTA occasions.
So given the large viewers and income numbers at stake, why have not gamers and the sport’s governing our bodies labored out a mutual settlement? Why did the PTPA file the blockbuster lawsuit towards the ATP, WTA and ITF with out one closing effort to achieve an accord?
Djokovic mentioned the reason being easy: he views the present ATP political construction as a “monopoly”
“Widespread Floor and a typical course that might be satisfying or win-win for everybody,” Djokovic mentioned. “Downside is that there’s a monopoly in place as nicely that has been there for many years, and it is laborious to interrupt it, and gamers are sometimes instances getting a shorter finish of the stick.
“And I feel it is proper for any participant, actually, to talk up on this problem. So I feel I am in direction of the top of my profession, and numerous the individuals have all the time been counting on me to say one thing about this matter, as I am doing proper now, and I do not thoughts speaking about it.
“However I want to see the present leaders of the respective excursions and and the long run generations which are going to steer this sport for the following many years, to take a lead, and to know that these points, these matters, these topics, are vital for them and for the gamers, and never only for them, but in addition for the opposite gamers that they’re representing.”
In a press release issued on Tuesday, the ATP blasted the PTPA claims of corruption as “completely with out advantage” and additional knocked the PTPA for attempting to draw consideration to its trigger by “division and distraction.”
“Whereas ATP has remained centered on delivering reforms that profit gamers at a number of ranges, the PTPA has persistently chosen division and distraction by misinformation over progress,” the ATP mentioned in a press release. “5 years on from its inception in 2020, the PTPA has struggled to determine a significant position in tennis, making its choice to pursue authorized motion at this juncture unsurprising.
“We strongly reject the premise of the PTPA’s claims, consider the case to be completely with out advantage, and can vigorously defend our place. ATP stays dedicated to working in the most effective pursuits of the sport – in direction of continued progress, monetary stability, and the very best future for our gamers, tournaments, and followers.”
Djokovic, a former ATP Participant Council President, and Vasek Pospisil based The Skilled Tennis Gamers Affiliation with the goal of giving professional gamers complete illustration within the sport’s decision-making course of.
In latest interviews, Djokovic has reiterated his long-held declare that the ATP Board of Administrators construction is damaged and doesn’t adequately signify participant curiosity.
“We’ve an issue within the very—how can I say—construction of the ATP is that as gamers we solely have the 50% of that group,” Djokovic mentioned. “There’s numerous instances there was battle of curiosity between tournaments and gamers. We needed completely different factor.
“We’re a part of the identical system, and we won’t go with out one another, however we’re oftentimes in conflictual conditions. “We would like more cash, they possibly do not wish to give us as a lot cash after we speak concerning the prize cash. There’s so many various layers of the prize cash that you must look into. It is not that straightforward.”
