Novak Djokovic, a 24-time Grand Slam champion and co-founder of the Professional Tennis Players’ Association (PTPA), has recently addressed the class-action lawsuit filed by the PTPA against the ATP, WTA, ITF, and ITIA. The lawsuit, filed in a New York court, accuses these governing bodies of anti-competitive practices, including issues related to prize money distribution, ranking systems, and the demanding 11-month tennis calendar. Despite his pivotal role in founding the PTPA, Djokovic’s name is notably absent from the list of plaintiffs.
Djokovic has expressed mixed feelings about the lawsuit, acknowledging both points of agreement and disagreement. He has highlighted his discomfort with some of the language used in the legal document, describing it as “quite strong.” However, he trusts the legal team’s expertise in crafting the necessary terminology to achieve the desired impact. Djokovic has emphasized that his decision not to be directly involved in the lawsuit stems from his desire to encourage other players to take a more active role in advocating for their rights.
He commented:
“In general, I felt like I don’t need to sign the letter because I want other players to step up. I’ve been very active in tennis politics. This is a classic lawsuit, so lawyers to lawyers, type of situation. So to be quite frank with you, there are things that I agree with in the lawsuit, and then there are also things that I don’t agree with.
And I found that maybe some wording was quite strong in there, but I guess the legal team knows what they are doing and what kind of terminology they’re supposed to use in order to get the right effect.”
Throughout his career, Djokovic has been a vocal advocate for better representation and influence for players in the sport. He has consistently worked to address issues beyond prize money, aiming to improve the overall positioning of players globally. While he supports the PTPA’s mission to ensure fairness and transparency in tennis, he remains committed to fostering unity within the sport.
The ATP and WTA have responded to the lawsuit with strong rebuttals, defending their recent achievements and criticizing the PTPA for creating division. Despite these challenges, Djokovic continues to champion the cause of player welfare and representation, striving for meaningful change in the tennis world.
Novak Djokovic in 2025
Ranked world no.5, Djokovic played his last match on the 8th of March when he lost to world no.85 Botic Van De Zandschulp 6-2 3-6 6-1 in the 2nd round in Indian Wells (draw).
Presently, during this year the Serbian achieved a composed 7-4 win-loss record. Novak Djokovic’s most significant accomplishment of the current season was reaching the semifinal at the Australian Open.
He is also scheduled to play in Monte-Carlo Rolex Masters (Monte–Carlo) on the 7th of April and () on the 29th of December.
