“He’s fully aware and supportive”: Vasek Pospisil details Novak Djokovic’s role in lawsuit against ATP and WTA

Vasek Pospisil, co-founder of the PTPA, spoke about Novak Djokovic's stance in the recent lawsuit against the ATP, WTA, and ITF. The Professional Tennis Players Association (PTPA) made public a lawsuit against the major tennis institutions at the start of the Miami Open.

The Canadian joined Djokovic in 2019 to create the group representing the top 500 singles players and the top 200 doubles players—based on the same ATP and WTA rankings. Both were co-presidents of the PTPA at the association’s inception.

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The primary goal of the association was to establish an institution that grants players greater autonomy and directly benefits them by providing a self-governing structure independent of the ATP and WTA. Djokovic and Pospisil led the association in an effort to protect the players’ interests.

The union filed a 146-page lawsuit in a New York court, seeking to end the Tour’s ‘monopolistic control.’ They are demanding reforms in the ranking points system, changes to the ‘unsustainable’ 11-month calendar, and fairer prize money distribution for players.

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Former world number two blames PTPA for 'hurting the sport' with recent lawsuit

In the latest episode of The Slice Tennis Podcast, Canadian Vasek Pospisil detailed the PTPA's demands and the key role played by former No. 1 Novak Djokovic. “He was very much part of the process, getting updated. He had the lawsuit, him and his agent, months or a month—I don’t know exactly when—but with plenty of time.”

“For him, I obviously spoke to him a few times prior to filing the lawsuit. I don’t want to put words in his mouth, but I think his position is that he didn’t want to make this about him, he wanted to make this about the wider group of players and the much-needed change in tennis.”

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“Of course, as a PTPA co-founder, this is a PTPA co-led lawsuit, so it almost goes without saying that he is part of it,” Pospisil added. “So I guess that it was his preference to take the position as PTPA co-founder and be involved in the lawsuit from that angle, rather than as a direct named plaintiff. He clearly had his reasons, but he is also very much aware and supportive of what we are doing—there is no question about that.”

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