The legal battle between the Professional Tennis Players Association (PTPA) and various tennis organizations has commenced. Notably, the International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA), a defendant in the case, has secured the services of lawyers who previously represented Manchester City.
Specifically, Deba Das, a competition law expert from Freshfields, is representing the ITIA, according to sources at Sky Sports News.
Das was part of the legal team that defended Manchester City in a past dispute concerning Associated Party Transactions.
The PTPA, an association co-founded by Novak Djokovic, is acting as a union for tennis players. They claim that the governing bodies are operating as a cartel, which is allegedly suppressing player prize money, creating an excessively demanding schedule, and infringing upon players` rights and overall well-being.
Alongside 11 professional tennis players, including prominent figures like Nick Kyrgios and Zheng Saisai, the PTPA has initiated legal proceedings in New York. They have also formally notified relevant parties in England of their intention to sue.
The PTPA has also filed complaints with both the UK`s Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) and the European Commission.
While Novak Djokovic has not personally joined the lawsuit, Vasek Pospisil, the Canadian player who co-founded the PTPA with him, is part of the action.
The ATP and WTA, also named as defendants, have refuted the allegations made against them. The International Tennis Federation (ITF) and ITIA have not yet issued a direct response to these claims.
The PTPA and ATP are scheduled to appear in a New York court this Friday. Reportedly, the PTPA will seek an injunction to prevent the ATP from engaging in what they describe as `improper, coercive and threatening communications` with tennis players.
