PTPA, 22 players file lawsuits against WTA, ATP, ITIA and ITF for systemic abuse

The Professional Tennis Players Association (PTPA) and 22 players have filed the complaint against different governing bodies on a number of charges. The sport has been going through a difficult phase, especially after the announcement of the agreement between the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) and the reigning world number one Italy’s Jannik Sinner.

Under the agreement, the 23-year-old, who is often regarded as one of the best players in the world in men’s tennis in the singles category, will serve a three-month suspension after failing two dope tests last year. After that agreement, the former world number one and one of the co-founders of PTPA, Serbia’s Novak Djokovic, stated that there is a larger consensus in the locker room that rules are not equal for everyone.

According to a recent report published by ESPN, the PTPA and 22 players filed complaints against the ATP, WTA, International Tennis Federation (ITF), and International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA) on Tuesday on charges of anticompetitive business practices, monopolizing professional tennis, and systemic abuse.

The executive director of PTPA, Ahmad Nassar, was quoted in a report where he stated that the system is ‘broken’. "Tennis is broken," he said. “Behind the glamorous veneer that the defendants promote, players are trapped in an unfair system that exploits their talent, suppresses their earnings, and jeopardizes their health and safety."

Amongst the list of players who filed the complaint includes the 2022 Wimbledon runner-up, Australia’s Nick Kyrgios, America’s Reilly Opelka, current world number 76 Corentin Moutet and 2014 Wimbledon doubles champion Vasek Pospisil.

According to the report, the players and the PTPA accused the WTA, ATP, ITF, and ITIA of working together as a ‘cartel’ to reduce competition and fix prize money. The report further stated that the suits have been filed in the United Kingdom (UK), European Union, and United States district courts.