ATP
See you in court: Players file suit against ATP
The ATP is facing a class-action lawsuit spearheaded by 12 players as Novak Djokovic’s union goes to war with the sanctioning body.
The Professional Tennis Players Association will drag tine ATP into the American legal process over what the PTPA labels as a “cartel”
Also included in the action are the women’s WTA, the Grand Slam umbrella body the International Tennis Federation and the sport’s antidoping bosses at the International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA).
The 163-page complaint filed in New York is also being mooted in the EU and the UK, home of Wimbledon.
Complaints by players include issues such as prize money, the rankings system and schedule, the ITIA investigative practices and also complain about (mainly lower-ranking) players being deprived of ancillary and marketing income which they deserve.
With major stars of the game earning tens of millions per season – including sponsorship monies – the little people represented by the PTPA have been feeling left out for years.
The PTPA got its start in 2022 spearheaded by Canadian Vasek Popspil and former world No. 1 Djokovic.
The current lawsuit includes controversial Aussie Nick Kyrgios as a plaintiff, with the legal action seeking an American jury trial.
“Tennis is broken,” PTPA executive director Ahmad Nassar 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.
“We have exhausted all options for reform through dialogue, and the governing bodies have left us no choice but to seek accountability through the courts. Fixing these systemic failures isn’t about disrupting tennis – it’s about saving it for the generations of players and fans to come.”
The ATP has rejected the claims and said they are ready for a legal battle, saying the action “to be entirely without merit.”
“Throughout more than three decades, ATP’s 50-50 governance structure has ensured that players and tournaments have an equal voice in shaping the sport’s direction at the highest level.”
The sanctioning body points to a USD 70 million prize money and player payout revenue over the last five years, with the ATP suggesting it is taking care of minor players with its reforms.
The WTA also jumped in with a statement on the “misguided” lawsuit while antidoping also protested their innocence.
Pospisil said the battle for better pay has only begun, with accusations that the ATP and its partner tournament conspire to cap prize money to keep a larger share for themselves..
The PTPA also complained about playing conditions including extreme heat and 3 a.m. match finishes in front of near-empty stands – most notably at the US and Australian Opens, the major offenders.
The suit says tennis players receive only 17 percent of tournament revenues whereas in other sports – read gold – the split is closer to 35-50 percent.
“This is about fairness, safety, and basic human dignity,” Pospisil said in a statement.
“I’m one of the more fortunate players and I’ve still had to sleep in my car when travelling to matches early on in my career – imagine an NFL player being told that he had to sleep in his car at an away game.”
He added, “It’s absurd and would never happen, obviously. No other major sport treats its athletes this way. The governing bodies force us into unfair contracts, impose inhumane schedules, and punish us for speaking out.”
Main photo:- Executive Director Ahmad Nassar and Head of PTPA Global Services Tarik Koubaa – ©PTPA
Alexander Zverev on Thursday made a long-sought after return to the Shanghai Masters semi-finals, booking his first final four at the event since 2019, defeating Alex de Minaur 6-4, 6-4.
The 2027 year-end No. 1 last got this far as the Covid pandemic began to surface in China in 2019. The event was not played 2020-2022, with the German making modest progress here over the past three editions since resumption.
After winning his 62nd match of the season, the 29-year-old was pleased with his performance.
“I think it was a huge step up. From just being on the court I felt both of us were playing really well.
“I was, a lot of the time, outhitting Alex, which is difficult to do from the baseline because he is so fast and he loves this kind of court speed here.
“I felt good and I’m happy with the step up from the past couple of matches.”
Zverev advanced in 78 minutes, sending over 10 aces as he defeated the Australian for the ninth time in their 13 matches.
Added the reigning Roland Garros and Flushing Meadows Grand Slam champion: “I’ve been handling pressure quite okay this year. In a way you play a bit more relaxed.
“Once Jannik (SInner) unfortunately announced he won’t play for the rest of the year, I’m 4,000 points ahead of everyone else, so I trust myself enough that I’m going to win [enough matches].
Zverev will play for the final to wrap up the Asian swing as he takes on Spain’s Alejandro Davidovich Fokina, who advanced when Arthur Gea quit their quarter-final with injury.
Alexander Zverev marked his new status as sure-thing year-end No. 1 by reaching the quarter-finals of the Shanghai Masters on Tuesday by posting a fighting 7-6 (6), 4-6, 7-6 (1) victory over Alexander Bublik..
The 29-year-old German whose two Grand Slam titles this season and the absence of injured Jannik Sinner helped him into the top spot for the first time, needed to save four early set points and deal with an ank;e issue on his journey into the last eight.
Zverev moved through in just under two and three-quarter hours to set up a match with last week’s Beijing finalist Alex de Minaur, The Australian booked his spot over Karen Khachanov 6-3, 6-4.
Zverev will be playing in his 40th quarter-final in a Masters 1000 and is on the hunt for an eighth trophy this season.
He said his ankle was giving problems – but not enough to affect the match outcome.”It was kind of understandable because I have been playing a lot of tennis, which is kind of a good sign because I have been playing well.
“I’m starting to feel my body more and more but happy to get through. It was a difficult match because he has been playing amazing tennis,” he said after coming from a break down in the deciding set.
De Minaur has bounced back nicely in Shanghai after quitting the Tokyo final against Carlos Alcaraz with an adductor muscle injury.
Stefanos Tsitsipas willed himself to a 401st Tour win on Monday, with the Greek advancing to the Shanghai Masters 3-6, 7-5, 6-3, over world No. 12 Taylor Fritz to reach the fourth round.
The win leaves the Greek with a 5-2 record against the American in a series dating back nine years.
The cerebral Tsitsipas credited the victory to some simple mental gymnastics.
“I was manifesting today’s match and trying to put myself in a victorious situation,” he said.
“I’ve always had big fights against him. Some of my biggest matches were played facing him on the other side of the court. I had to up my level.
“Once I started doing that, a lot of doors were open and I was really able to unleash my biggest potential out there.”
The match ended on an unusual note as the ball twice fell from the pocket of Fritz, causing each of the points in question to be replayed.
Tsitsipas missed on three match points in the mistake-marred game but secured the fightback victory a game later after two and a quarter hours.
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