The Professional Tennis Players Association (PTPA), the breakaway tennis union founded by tennis legend Novak Djokovic and Canadian Vasek Pospisil, has filed a lawsuit against the men’s ATP and women’s WTA tours, the International Tennis Federation (ITF), and the International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA).
The 163-page lawsuit, which was filed on March 18 in New York City, London, and Brussels, labels the governing bodies as a “cartel” that suppresses wages, player opportunities, and rival tournaments “to the harm of players and fans alike,” accusing the bodies of several antitrust violations.
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The lawsuit alleges that the governing bodies price-fix by capping prize money in their tournaments while preventing potential competitors from entering the market.
The lawsuit also says that "professional tennis players are stuck in a rigged game" which gives them "limited control over their own careers and brands." The lawsuit also holds issue with the players’ schedules, ranking systems, and their lack of control over their image rights.
It names the four Grand Slam tournaments, Wimbledon, and the Australian, French, and US Opens, as co-conspirators alongside the ATP, WTA, ITF, and ITIA. It claims that the Grand Slams work with them “to enrich themselves at the players’ expense, to the detriment of fans and the game.”
Named plaintiffs include well-known tennis players such as Australian Nick Kyrgios, Romania’s Sorana Cirstea, American Reilly Opelka, and Zheng Saisai of China, with 12 players acting as plaintiffs "on behalf of the entire player population."
A spokesperson for the PTPA said in a statement announcing the litigation: “The filings reveal how tennis’ corrupt governing bodies systemically abuse, silence, and exploit players to drive personal profits through monopolistic control.
“Players are demanding the same rights, protections, and fair treatment that athletes in other major sports — like the NFL, NBA, MLB, WNBA, NWSL, international football, and international cricket — have fought for and won.
“Defendants do so by capping the prize money tournaments award and limiting players’ ability to earn money off the court. Rather than being determined by market forces, players’ earnings are instead subject to limitations agreed upon by the defendants and their co-conspirators.”
The ATP has said that it distributed $241.6 million to players in 2023 through prize money, bonuses, and retirement plan contributions, with a major increase in player compensation of up to $70 million in the past five years, while the WTA said it paid out record prize money of $221 million in 2024, gave a $400 million increase in player compensation, and it recently introduced paid maternity leave, which is funded by Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund.
In the response to the lawsuit, the ATP said: "While ATP has remained focused on delivering reforms that benefit players at multiple levels, the PTPA has consistently chosen division and distraction through misinformation over progress. Five years on from its inception in 2020, the PTPA has struggled to establish a meaningful role in tennis, making its decision to pursue legal action at this juncture unsurprising.
"We strongly reject the premise of the PTPA’s claims, believe the case to be entirely without merit, and will vigorously defend our position. ATP remains committed to working in the best interests of the game – towards continued growth, financial stability, and the best possible future for our players, tournaments, and fans."
A WTA statement added: "The PTPA’s action is both regrettable and misguided, and we will defend our position vigorously in due course. Every decision taken at the WTA Board level includes the input of players via their elected Board representatives, and athletes receive substantial financial rewards and other benefits from participation in the WTA.
"Contesting this baseless legal case will divert time, attention, and resources from our core mission to the detriment of our players and the sport as a whole.”
This year the ATP Tour is staging 60 events across 29 countries, while also running its Challenger Tour. The WTA, meanwhile, is putting on 51 tournaments across 26 countries this season.
The PTPA was created by Djokovic and Pospisil in 2020 to advocate on behalf of players in the sport after becoming disillusioned with how the system was working against the players’ interests while serving on the ATP Tour’s players council.
Its formation was met with criticism by the current tennis hierarchy, with the ATP and WTA, the top men’s and women’s tours, respectively, arguing that adequate representation is already provided to athletes within their current governance structures.
However, since then, the PTPA has moved to build out its backroom staff and establish itself within the industry, naming former NFL Players Inc. president Nassar as its executive director and chief executive of Winners Alliance.
With its commercial arm Winners Alliance, it has built out its remit into forming partnerships with brands that help members with day-to-day tour administration and creating revenue for players. Traditionally, as self-employed athletes, tennis players have been responsible for securing their sponsorship deals and organizing their travel, accommodation, and branding.
Winners Alliance has already secured $26 million in new funding from Pershing Square Foundation, led by billionaire Bill Ackman, as well as private equity firm Prysm Capital and Nassar.
Along with Nassar, the union has added several industry veterans including Adam Larry, who has consulted for and negotiated the collective bargaining agreements for North American leagues the NBA, NFL, and CFL. Other additions include a slew of lawyers, forensic accountants, and communications staff.
Read More: PTPA: Tennis’ breakaway union is looking to revolutionize player representation
