“Players Have Been Threatened”: PTPA Head Accuses ATP of Fuelling Rivalry With Novak Djokovic-Led Association

Andy Roddick fulfilled his promise to viewers by inviting PTPA co-founder Vasek Pospisil and executive director Ahmad Nassar to his podcast, ‘Served.’ With the PTPA being discussed on the podcast multiple times before, fans finally got to see its members joining the conversation. In that episode, Pospisil and Nassar discussed the goals of the PTPA and what they hope to achieve.

Since the establishment of the Professional Tennis Players Association in 2020 by Novak Djokovic and Pospisil, they have raised several questions regarding the functioning of the Association of Tennis Professionals. They have also played a huge role in highlighting the concerns and issues faced by players on the tour.

One issue Nassar mentioned in the podcast was the ATP’s threat to keep players from joining rival associations. He further revealed that the association has changed its bylaws, stating that if a player becomes a part of a rival group, his platinum benefits or pension will be taken away.

“These players have been threatened. The ATP amended its bylaws to say that you are not eligible for benefits. Your pension, what they call platinum benefits, if you are a member of any sort of rival group and they don’t define that. They keep the discretion with themselves,” informed Nassar.

Nassar’s partner on the podcast, Pospisil, also chipped in to explain how the ultimate goal of the PTPA is to bring structural changes.

“Want fundamental structural change”: Pospisil

He added that they didn’t want to adopt any ‘ugly’ methods. Instead, they prefer to enter the system and collaborate with tours to bring about these fundamental changes for the benefit and welfare of the players.

“The goal is really to have this fundamental structural change in the sport and obviously that’s not an overnight thing. If we wanted to make it an overnight thing, it would probably not be recommended and it could get pretty ugly and that’s not what we wanted to do. We wanted to come within the structure, work together with the tours as partners, try to figure out ways how we can change things, make it work,” said the co-founder of PTPA.

Since Novak Djokovic has been an active part of the tennis world and even the ATP Player Council for years, he understands the concerns of players, having experienced them firsthand. This was his major motivation behind launching the PTPA platform to help players voice their concerns and enforce change in the system.

With the help of a $40 million investment from real estate businessman Bill Amman through his charity fund, Djokovic was able to make the association a reality.

However, only time will tell if the PTPA will succeed in bringing the change they wish to see in the world of tennis by getting the ATP to understand and support the players’ cause better.