Players accuse tennis governing bodies of running ‘cartel’ in lawsuit
- Players union alleges earnings are kept artificially low
- ATP and WTA vow to ‘vigorously’ defend their positions
The player advocacy organisation founded by Novak Djokovic and Vasek Pospisil has launched a lawsuit against the governing bodies of professional tennis, marking an escalation in its battle to secure better rights for players.
The six-year-old Professional Tennis Players Association, which has struggled to drive change from outside the system, is now pursuing legal action against the ATP Tour, WTA Tour, the International Tennis Federation and the International Tennis Integrity Agency. The 163‑page complaint, filed in the US district court for the southern district of New York, lists 12 current and former players as plaintiffs, including Djokovic, Pospisil, Nick Kyrgios and Sorana Cirstea.