Ahmad Nassar, the executive director of the Professional Tennis Players' Association (PTPA), which was co-founded by Novak Djokovic, shared in an interview with HT that taking legal action against tennis' governing bodies was "not our first choice." However, it became clear to both him and the players that it was the only way to "reform tennis from within."

Last Tuesday, the PTPA initiated a lawsuit against the ATP, WTA, ITF, and ITIA regarding the management of professional tennis. This move sent shockwaves through the tennis community and sparked a range of reactions from top players.

Carlos Alcaraz and Iga Swiatek chose to distance themselves from the lawsuit, while world No.1 Aryna Sabalenka and Coco Gauff recognized the need for a larger share of prize money for players. Djokovic, a co-founder of the PTPA, mentioned that while he agreed with some aspects of the 163-page lawsuit, he also had disagreements. He emphasized his ongoing commitment to advocating for better representation and influence for players in the sport, which he believes is still lacking.

Nassar, who has been with the PTPA since 2022, noted that discussions with players revealed recurring themes around key issues, including scheduling, player compensation, and the overall exploitation of players.

Many players agree that the tennis calendar is overly long and chaotic. Reports suggest that the governing bodies are considering a revamp of the tour, referred to as the "premium tour," which would feature a more streamlined schedule and increased payouts. However, nothing has been officially announced yet.

"Everyone feels a bit stuck. We're hoping these legal actions will help break the deadlock and push things in a better direction," Nassar shared with HT.

"The schedule is just a relentless grind. Tournaments run all year round. No other sport operates like this."

Regarding pay, the lawsuit claims that the tours "share less than 20% of their revenue with players." While the tours and Grand Slams have consistently increased prize money over the years, Forbes's 2024 list of the highest-paid athletes does not include any tennis players in the top 50.

"At the top level, the highest-earning tennis player last year made about the same as the 150th player in the NBA, despite tennis being a global sport. The amount of sponsorship money these players bring in compared to their on-court earnings is nowhere near what stars like LeBron (James) or Lionel Messi make," Nassar pointed out.

"And on the lower end, how is it possible that a sport played by millions worldwide only has around 100 players who actually make a profit each year?"

Djokovic has mentioned that there are "less than 500 players" in tennis who can actually make a living from the sport. He pointed out that many players ranked between 250 and 500, including a lot of Indian professionals, struggle to afford a coach while on tour. "This system is like a pyramid, and it needs to benefit everyone involved," Nassar explained.

He also brought attention to issues like the anti-doping regulations and the varying types of balls used "from week to week and tournament to tournament," among other significant concerns raised by players.

The lawsuit is pushing for a free market approach, eliminating financial limits and creating more opportunities for players to earn outside of the tours. But could this lead to a lack of oversight? Nassar referenced similar legal battles in the NBA during the 1970s and the NFL in the 90s.

"In the NBA, the main issue was the player draft, which they still have. It was a part of the system that got challenged and ultimately changed. In the NFL, the focus was on free agency, and many thought it would lead to chaos. Instead, it was implemented and resulted in tremendous growth for the NFL. That's what we hope to achieve for tennis," he stated.

Besides Djokovic, who started the PTPA with Vasek Pospisil in 2020, the organization includes some notable current players on its executive committee, like former top-10 players Ons Jabuer and Hubert Hurkacz. Nassar mentioned, "This is a group created and led by players. Everyone is really engaged in our activities and very supportive."

In response, the governing bodies have come together to defend their stance. The ATP stated that they "strongly reject the basis of the PTPA's claims, consider the case completely unfounded, and will vigorously uphold our position." As the legal dispute unfolds, Nassar expressed hope for a negotiated resolution as the best outcome.

"A resolution that resolves all these issues to the players' satisfaction and allows tennis to grow sustainably, taking its rightful place among other global sports, which supports thousands of professional athletes and generates billions in additional revenue."

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