Novak Djokovic is leading one of the most significant movements in modern tennis: the fight to create a powerful player’s association outside of the ATP’s control. The Serb is arguably the face of the Professional Tennis Players Association (PTPA), a group founded to give players a stronger voice in the decision-making process in the sport. PTPA’s President Ahmad Nassar has now spoken up about how dedicated Djokovic is to the cause, even if there is no personal benefit for him.
In a recent interview, Nassar described how Djokovic came on board and the fact that he is different from athletes in big sporting leagues in the United States such as the NBA, WNBA, NFL and MLB.
Nassar’s insights are particularly interesting, given his experience with executive committees across various sports leagues like the NBA, NFL, WNBA, and MLB. He revealed that in these leagues, the concept of a players’ union was dismissed, primarily because the players themselves weren’t as invested in the broader welfare of their sport beyond their careers.
In contrast, Djokovic’s involvement with the PTPA proves his commitment to ensuring tennis remains sustainable for future generations. Nassar was also full of praise for Vasek Pospisil, the Canadian tennis player, who is the co-owner of the PTPA alongside the 24-time Grand Slam champion.
“I met them two years into their work and I can safely this that having directly interacted and negotiated with the executive committee members from the NFL PA, NBA Players Association, MLB and WNBA Players Association and directly with the athletes… I have never met anyone like Novak Djokovic.
“They tried with the (ATP) Players Council. They had this vision to create a Players Association… Pospisil and Djokovic have no personal benefit from this and are aging in their careers.
“They had all people, family, friends and business partners telling them that ‘Why are you doing this?’
“Their perspective is so valuable and interesting. They are really selfless… It is literally taking time away from their day job and I have immense respect for them,” Nassar was quoted as saying on the Nothing Major Podcast.
When it comes to the changes PTPA has already brought into the sport, one of the biggest has been advocating for greater transparency in prize money distribution and better conditions for lower-ranked players. The association has worked tirelessly to address long-standing issues like player earnings, which have historically been skewed in favor of the elite, and ensure the sport is more inclusive at all levels.
It made the ATP come up with its Baseline pay structure in 2023, which ensured that to a large extent, players ranked outside the top 100, 200 and 300 get a minimum salary based on their ranking. This safeguards them even if they lose matches in the first round, since it can cover a large chunk of their expenses, if not entirely.
Djokovic’s influence and the work of the PTPA have set the groundwork for significant reform in tennis, and it seems they are just getting started.
