Born from Players’ Quest for Justice, PTPA Becomes Battleground – Sues Tennis Bodies, Loses Djokovic but Pospisil Believes in Historic Change
© ILYA S. SAVENOK / GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA / GETTY IMAGES VIA AFP
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“What began as a conversation in 2019 has sparked a global movement to reform and develop professional tennis.” This is how the PTPA describes itself on its website.
At the end of the 2010s, two professional players, Novak Djokovic and Vasek Pospisil, came up with the idea of creating an association to defend the interests of players on the professional circuit.
The PTPA (Professional Tennis Players Association) was thus born, with the ambition to shake things up at the highest level.
Created by players for players, it serves as the spokesperson for athletes on the ATP and WTA circuits to ensure their well-being on and off the court.
PTPA’S GOALS: A VOICE THAT COUNTS WITH THE GOVERNING BODIES
Since 2020, when the project became very concrete, the PTPA has been fighting for a more equitable circuit. A founding element of the association’s creation, Djokovic regularly provides updates on the state of professional tennis. On its website, the organization summarizes its main missions in several key points.
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The PTPA, Spokesperson for Professional Tennis Players
Ensuring the protection and support of players and defending their interests with tennis’s governing bodies (primarily the ATP and WTA) is the PTPA’s main mission.
The goal is also to offer them a wide range of services, benefits, and resources, as well as health and medical assistance. That’s not all, as the PTPA also aims to keep players informed and raise awareness about circuit and tennis decisions that impact their careers, while ensuring their concerns are heard and their voices represented.
Generating additional revenue opportunities off the court through the PTPA’s collective licensing program is also an integral part of the project. The PTPA thus has a clear direction of what it wants to achieve and is determined to meet its objectives.
“400 players and players on the professional circuit live off this sport”
“We need to increase the number of people who make a living from tennis. I rarely see the media writing articles to remind everyone that only 400 players and players on the professional circuit, combining singles and doubles, live off this sport. For me, that’s something really very concerning.
When a player wins a Grand Slam, we focus on the financial side: ‘He earned so much money.’ But what about the lower-tier circuits?” the Serbian champion elaborated during a press conference at Wimbledon in 2024.
PTPA SUES TENNIS GOVERNING BODIES IN COURT, A FIRST TURNING POINT
In March 2025, war was officially declared between the PTPA and tennis’s governing bodies. The organization thus initiated legal proceedings against the ATP, WTA, ITF (International Tennis Federation), and ITIA (International Tennis Integrity Agency).
“I had to sleep in my car when I traveled to matches early in my career”
Vasek Pospisil had outlined the PTPA’s determination, which had taken action to concretely shake up the players’ ecosystem. Eager to give more players the opportunity to make a living from tennis, the PTPA embarked on concrete actions at that time.
“It’s not just about money, but also about fairness, safety, and human dignity. I’m one of the luckiest players and I still had to sleep in my car when traveling to matches early in my career.
Imagine telling an NFL player he has to sleep in his car for an away game. It’s absurd and it would never happen in any other sport, because no one treats their athletes that way,” regretted Pospisil, a former world No. 25, at the time.
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“We are very close to achieving major change”
A few months later, in September 2025, the same Pospisil, freshly retired and now fully focused on his PTPA mission, provided another update on the situation.
“Today, for the first time, I see that we are very close to achieving the major change we need so that players truly have a say and benefit from an ideal framework for their development.
Tennis has fallen behind other sports, which is why we’ve been trying for all these years to collaborate with certain government organizations to improve the situation,” assured the Canadian.
Pospisil Explains PTPA’s Approach, in Conflict with Governing Bodies
The legal process initiated by the association at the start of the 2025 season has not been without consequences, as Pospisil explains. He justified the PTPA’s approach, which still aims to improve players’ working environment and clarify the issue of money, which often comes up.
“To move forward, we had no choice but to sue the tennis governing bodies. The ultimate goal is to create an independent voice for the players.
That’s our main wish following the lawsuit, to pave the way for everything else: increased prize money and better revenue sharing. It’s very important for us to have a say in all matters affecting our work, that is, travel, schedules, balls, or prize money,” he concluded.
JANUARY 2026: DJOKOVIC ANNOUNCES HIS DEPARTURE FROM PTPA
However, the PTPA’s lawsuits were not to everyone’s taste. At the initiative of this project, Novak Djokovic himself eventually made a major decision: to leave the association. In the complaint filed by the PTPA in March 2025, 22 signatories were recorded, but the Serb was not among them.
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“My values and way of acting no longer align with the organization’s current direction”
The PTPA’s legitimacy took a hit in January 2026. Just days before the Australian Open, the first Grand Slam of the season, Novak Djokovic, co-founder of the association, announced his departure. The former world No. 1 justified his reasons for leaving via social media.
“After careful reflection, I have decided to completely withdraw from the PTPA. This decision follows 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, to give players a stronger, independent voice. But it has become clear that my values and way of acting no longer align with the organization’s current direction.
I will continue to focus on my tennis, my family, and contributing to this sport in a way true to my principles and integrity. I wish the best to the players and everyone involved moving forward, but for me, this chapter is now closed,” Djokovic explained.
Djokovic Had Already Warned Players in 2025
One of the greatest legends in history has never hidden his desire to help the professional circuit develop. But Djokovic was particularly frustrated by the lack of involvement from most of his peers in this project. At the time the PTPA filed its complaint, he explained why he chose not to be a signatory.
“I don’t think I need to sign because I want other players to get involved. I’ve been very active on tennis’s political issues, trying to represent players on the players’ council and doing my best while my career was in full swing.
I thought it was also my role to support players and fight for their rights. In 20 years on tour, I’ve seen changes, but there are fundamental changes that haven’t happened yet, and I really hope the governing bodies and stakeholders involved reach an agreement,” he told L’Équipe in spring 2025.
Djokovic’s Message to the New Generation: “I’d Love for ATP and WTA Leaders to Take the Reins”
In a message directed straight at young players, Djokovic urges future legends to fully invest in this fight and take responsibility. Because he knows very well that if it doesn’t come from them, things won’t change anytime soon.
“I’m at the end of my career. I don’t mind talking about it, but I’d love to see the current ATP and WTA leaders, those who will lead this sport over the next decade, take the reins and understand that these issues are important to everyone.
Even if you’re not on the council or at the PTPA, as a top player, you’re still looked up to by hundreds of others. And I think there’s a responsibility. You have to remember that you went through it, and we all know how tough Futures are,” Djokovic stated.
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PTPA: AN UNCERTAIN FUTURE AFTER DJOKOVIC’S DEPARTURE?
In a sport where only the top-ranked make a living from their job, the players want to shake things up. The PTPA’s efforts to promote greater equity and transparency in tennis are commendable.
However, the success of this project will depend on the association’s ability to unite players around a common vision and gain the trust of key circuit stakeholders.
Djokovic’s departure in early 2026 is a major blow to the PTPA’s development. As he was likely the most involved player in this project, the former world No. 1 has chosen to step back, believing he no longer shares the same values as the organization.
A First Victory for the PTPA Against the Governing Bodies?
It aspires to put players at the heart of decisions that directly concern them, but its impact remains to be defined. Because despite actions aimed at driving change, organizations like the ATP, WTA, and ITF still hold most of the decision-making power.
In early 2026, several sources like The Athletic reported that the PTPA could win its showdown with the governing bodies. Leaders from the ATP, WTA, and organizers of Roland Garros, Wimbledon, and the US Open met to find a solution to the PTPA’s demands, and a positive outcome could be on the horizon.
The PTPA’s future nonetheless remains uncertain. It all depends on its ability to overcome the many obstacles in its path and establish constructive dialogue with all other stakeholders.
Sources
TennisTemple : « La mission de la PTPA, l’association qui veut remettre le tennis dans le droit chemin »