Lawsuit by players against official tennis bodies is ‘big day’, says Nick Kyrgios

Bengaluru — Australian tennis player Nick Kyrgios said the lawsuit filed by the Professional Tennis Players’ Association (PTPA) against the sport’s governing bodies marks a “special moment” and that it was high time the players’ voices were heard.

The PTPA accused the men’s and women’s tours, as well as the International Tennis Federation and International Tennis Integrity Agency, of indulging in anticompetitive practices and disregarding player welfare.

Former Wimbledon finalist Kyrgios, who is among 12 current and former players listed as plaintiffs with the PTPA in the US suit in New York, said the group was determined to do something for the future of the game.

“I know that myself and many of the players aren’t happy with the structures and everything that’s going on in tennis at the moment,” Kyrgios told Sky Sports.

“This will be a special moment in tennis, for sure. Things needed to change. It’s a big day for tennis.”

The PTPA was formally established by Novak Djokovic and Vasek Pospisil in 2020 to advocate for players. Pospisil said the PTPA had spoken to more than 300 players and had plenty of support, including from the top players.

“The ATP/WTA has spread so much fear over the years that it’s not easy to put your name on this publicly. Player support for this initiative is undeniable,” he added.

Men’s governing body the ATP rejected the PTPA’s claims of an unfair system that exploited the players and suppressed their earnings. It said that the PTPA was guilty of “division and distraction”.

The women’s WTA described the action as “regrettable and misguided”.

Reuters has contacted both bodies for further comment.

While player associations are common in professional sports, tennis is different in that the players operate as independent contractors.

“We’re the only sport in the world that doesn’t have a players’ association. That was the PTPA’s first goal, to get the players to be heard,” Kyrgios said.

“The ATP just had so much power, they don’t have to show anything to anyone. Now things will have to change, they’ll have to show things, how things operate and that’s when people really realise that it hasn’t really been done correctly.

“I don’t think players ultimately have been very happy with what they earn on the tour compared to other sports and I think that’s definitely one of the main reasons.” 

Reuters