Outbreak of legal battle in tennis comes after years of increasing tension | Tumaini Carayol

The 163-page PTPA lawsuit contains some valid and not-so-valid criticism of the professional tours and major events

The Professional Tennis Players’ Association came into existence on the eve of the 2020 US Open and at the height of pandemic restrictions. After an inauspicious start, the association co-founded by Novak Djokovic has spent time building its professional structures, finances and player support while trying to gain influence in the sport. The PTPA ostensibly functions as a players’ union, but it is not legally recognised as such, since players are classed as independent contractors rather than employees.

As the PTPA’s numerous attempts to gain a seat at the sport’s decision making table have been rebuffed, often vigorously, by the leading governing bodies – the Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP), the Women’s Tennis Association (WTA), the International Tennis Federation (ITF) and the four grand slam tournaments – it became increasingly likely that their acrimonious relations would lead to litigation. The PTPA’s decision to initiate a lawsuit against the ATP, WTA and ITF on Tuesday, while naming the grand slams as co-conspirators, marks a dramatic intensification of its campaign for players’ rights. It also comes as no great surprise.