Djokovic player union begins legal action against tours

The players' national co-founded by Novak Djokovic has begun ineligible enactment against tennis' governing bodies, citing "anti-competitive practices and a blatant disregard for subordinate welfare".

The Professional Tennis Players' Association (PTPA) has filed papers astatine the United States District Court successful New York, wherever it is seeking a assemblage trial.

The 146-page lawsuit, which has been seen by BBC Sport, says "professional tennis players are stuck successful a rigged game" which gives them "limited power implicit their ain careers and brands".

The suit criticises the schedule, ranking systems and power implicit representation rights.

The ailment is being brought by the PTPA and 12 players - including Djokovic, his co-founder Vasek Pospisil and Nick Kyrgios - "on behalf of the full subordinate population".

The PTPA was formed successful 2020 and wants to summation the powerfulness of the players, and trim the power of the governing bodies.

The suit seeks an extremity to "monopolistic control" of the tennis tour, as good arsenic fiscal compensation from the men's ATP, the women's WTA, the International Tennis Federation (ITF) and the International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA).

The organisation has besides started ineligible proceedings successful the UK and the EU to extremity what it considers the "unchecked authorization of the sport's governing bodies".

"Tennis is broken," said Ahmad Nassar, the Executive Director of the PTPA, who told the BBC successful October they would person nary qualms astir going down this route.

"Behind the glamorous veneer that the defendants promote, players are trapped successful an unfair strategy that exploits their talent, suppresses their earnings, and jeopardises their wellness and safety.

"We person exhausted each options for betterment done dialogue, and the governing bodies person near america nary prime but to question accountability done the courts.

"Fixing these systemic failures isn't astir disrupting tennis - it's astir redeeming it for the generations of players and fans to come."

BBC Sport has contacted the ATP, WTA, ITF and ITIA for comment.

The PTPA believes the governing bodies enactment arsenic a "cartel" by forming agreements with tournaments that headdress prize wealth and forestall imaginable competitors entering the market.

The national describes the ranking points strategy arsenic "draconian" arsenic it efficaciously forces a subordinate to participate their tournaments successful bid to physique a presumption and estimation arsenic a professional.

The suit besides takes purpose astatine an "unsustainable" docket which runs for 11 months of the year, and tin necessitate players to vie successful excessive vigor oregon successful the aboriginal hours of the morning.

It alleges players endure superior wrist, elbow and enarthrosis injuries due to the fact that the benignant of shot utilized changes regularly passim the play - and that the governing bodies' power of representation rights diverts wealth from players' pockets.

The ITIA is accused of a "gross penetration of privacy" for searching the phones of players nether suspicion of corruption oregon doping offences.

The ATP Tour is staging 60 events crossed 29 countries this year, and besides runs its ain Challenger Tour. The ATP says it distributed $241.6m to players successful 2023 done prize money, bonuses and status program contributions.

The WTA, which is offering 51 tournaments crossed 26 countries this season, said it paid retired grounds prize wealth of $221m successful 2024. It has besides conscionable introduced paid maternity permission for the archetypal time.

Players person often complained they bash not person a precocious capable percent of the gross generated by the sport, particularly the 4 Grand Slams.

It was the driving unit down Djokovic's tendency to signifier the PTPA.

The Grand Slams tried to make the concept of a Premium Tour - featuring a streamlined play and greater fiscal rewards - but person truthful acold recovered excessively galore obstacles successful their path.

Pospisil says the suit is astir "fairness, information and basal quality dignity".

"I'm 1 of the much fortunate players and I've inactive had to slumber successful my car erstwhile traveling to matches aboriginal connected successful my career," helium added.

"Imagine an NFL subordinate being told that helium had to slumber successful his car astatine an distant game. It's absurd and would ne'er happen. No different large athletics treats its athletes this way."

"It is clip for free-market forces to participate nonrecreational tennis," said Drew Tulumello of Weil, Gotshal & Manges, the instrumentality steadfast instructed by the PTPA.

The PTPA looks enviously astatine the rewards earned by players successful squad sports specified arsenic football, NFL, shot and hoops - and besides the much comparable athletics of golf.

Many of those who joined the breakaway LIV Tour present bask adjacent greater wealth, but person mislaid the ranking points which facilitate introduction into the large championships.

Saudi Arabia's involution caused overmuch bitterness, but changed play dramatically.

The PTPA's methods are precise different, but could yet person a akin effect.