Former world number one
Andy Roddick has lambasted the Novak
Djokovic-founded Professional Tennis Players Association (PTPA) for not doing
much for the players. The PTPA was founded by Serbia’s legendary tennis stars
Djokovic and Vasek Pospisil in 2019.
The association was formed to look after the welfare of the
players. The organisation was later joined by a number of other top players
from both men’s and women’s tennis including the likes of America’s John Isner,
Ryan Harrison Reilly Opelka, Poland’s Hubert Hurkacz Spain’s Pablo Carreno
Busta.
In January 2023, the Players Executive Committee was also
announced which featured a number of top players currently playing in professional
tennis including the likes of Spain’s Paula Badosa, Djokovic, Hurkacz, Isner
(USA), three-time Grand Slam runner-up Tunisia’s Ons Jabeur, America’s Bethanie
Mattek-Sands, Canada’s Vasek Pospisil and China’s Zheng Saisai.
Former world number Roddick was recently quoted in a report
where he criticised the role played by the PTPA. The one-time Grand Slam winner
believes that the organisation has not done much for the players and walking
back on their statement.
"I've had board members text me, and I said, "If
you had to list your three accomplishments, what would it be?" It's like,
"I don't know - press releases?" There was an email that went out. It
was like, "We have professional photo shoots available for the
players." But I don't know what the goals are," said Roddick. I don't
think that it's that I'm not up to speed. I don't think you all have done much.
Seems to be press and photo shoots. You've negotiated trading card deals? Are
you an agency? The list of accomplishments your CEO sent was hiring a bunch of
people and communicating w slams....... That's not an accomplishment. I've
literally asked former board members what has been accomplished and they said
nothing. You sent out an email approaching yourselves for organizing the
opportunity for photo shoot opps for players. Like I'm not sure where the focus
is.”
