The Professional Tennis Players Association (PTPA) has accused the Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP) of attempting to pressure tennis players and is seeking a court order to prevent such actions.
The PTPA, an organization for players co-founded by Novak Djokovic, initiated legal proceedings against tennis governing bodies, including the ATP and WTA, earlier this week. Their aim is to bring about significant changes in the governance of professional tennis.
In response, the ATP accused the PTPA of promoting `division and distraction through misinformation instead of progress.` This verbal conflict escalated further on Saturday.
Ahmad Nassar, the executive director of the PTPA, stated on social media platform X that players have reported the ATP is `illegally threatening retaliation and attempting to coerce players`.
Nassar emphasized, `This must stop.` He added, `Last night, we submitted a motion to the US judge requesting the prohibition of any unlawful contact with players by the ATP or any associated parties.`
He further commented, `We are witnessing an intensification of unlawful, coercive, and childishly aggressive behavior. Fortunately, these legal matters will not be decided in a playground or on social media.`
Nassar concluded, `This precise conduct is what compelled us to initiate these global legal challenges in the first place. Tennis is a substantial international industry and must operate accordingly. This is what the law mandates and what players and fans deserve.`
In response, an ATP spokesperson informed the PA news agency, `We are aware of the additional court order sought by the PTPA and we deny their allegations.`
The ATP spokesperson added, `The ATP`s core principle is our dedication to the players. As this is now a legal matter, we will not be providing any further comments.`
The PTPA`s grievances include the suppression of competition among tournaments, which they argue reduces prize money, a stringent ranking points system, an unsustainable schedule, and financial exploitation of players.
The PTPA also accuses the governing bodies of neglecting player welfare by forcing athletes to compete late into the night and in extreme heat, and they criticize anti-doping procedures as an invasion of privacy.
