This week the biggest legal war in tennis history is being initiated by PTPA vs. ATP/WTA/ITIA and ITF. PTPA member Vasek Pospisil explains…
Today marks a pivotal moment in the battle for fairness and integrity in tennis. I take pride in standing alongside a group of fellow players, both men and women, as one of the named plaintiffs in a comprehensive lawsuit targeting the ATP and WTA Tours, the ITIA, and the ITF. The time has come to demand accountability from these organizations and their complicit partners for decades of illegal practices, systemic player abuse, and exploitation that have tarnished our sport.
For the past few years, the PTPA, an organization I’ve worked on tirelessly since its inception, has made countless efforts to collaborate with the tours in hopes of achieving positive change for players. Despite these efforts and attempts to engage in constructive dialogue, we were met with resistance and a lack of meaningful action. It is because of this ongoing disregard for players that we were left with no alternative but to take action of our own. For too long, players have been forced to accept a broken system that ignores our well-being, undervalues our contributions, and leaves us without real representation.
“The lawsuits expose a deeply entrenched, anti-competitive system rife with monopolistic control, conflicts of interest, economic exploitation, and blatant disregard for player welfare by the defendants.” These legal actions are a fight for today’s players, future generations, fans, and the future of our sport. My commitment to this cause has never been stronger.
Ahmad Nassar, Head of PTPA: Tennis is broken. It’s also operating illegally. Today players and
@ptpaplayers filed global legal challenges to fix tennis. The way tennis currently operates is both illegal and hurts everyone – players, fans, commercial partners, and even tournament owners alike. We spent several years trying to engage and reform tennis from within. To no avail. Today’s actions will spark meaningful, lasting change and accountability. At long last. The legal challenges center on the following illegal actions: Schedule abuse… Data misappropriation and betting collusion… Prize money manipulation… Player exploitation & hostile work environment… Abuse of power… Health & safety malpractice… Massive conflicts of interest… Investigative abuses & privacy rights violations…
We stand ready to engage with anyone to solve these problems and lead tennis to a bright future for all.
Scoop Malinowski · March 18, 2025 at 11:50 am
Is the world ready for what is about to be exposed?
Steve · March 18, 2025 at 12:16 pm
I remember in the UFC Antitrust Lawsuit there was a “discovery phase” where some very interesting things came out. I think that case was settled for $375 million but forced little or no change in how the UFC conducts itself.
Is this a money grab/hope for settlement cash or do they really want change? We’ll see. Sometimes to get actually change you have to gamble on a jury trial it seems.
catherine · March 18, 2025 at 3:25 pm
No prizes for guessing who stands to make the most money out of these legal shenanigans when the dust settles…..
Scoop Malinowski · March 18, 2025 at 3:26 pm
No Steve I don’t think Djokovic’s motive is money here, like everyone else in tennis including Nadal and Federer and their handlers. I believe Djokovic truly has the best interests of the sport in mind and in heart. The Sinner scandal and cover up was the final breaking point.
Scoop Malinowski · March 18, 2025 at 7:33 pm
The lawyers… Let’s see if the resignations start.
Steve · March 19, 2025 at 7:50 am
Novak is not named as a plaintiff.
Here’s the rag-tag crew of disgruntled tennis pros:
Vasek Pospisil, Nicholas Kyrgios, Anastasia
Rodionova, Nicole Melichar-Martinez, Saisai
Zheng, Sorana Cîrstea, John-Patrick Smith,
Noah Rubin, Aldila Sutjiadi, Varvara
Gracheva, Tennys Sandgren, and Reilly
Opelka, on behalf of themselves and all others
similarly situated, and The Professional Tennis Players Association
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Ah9jYAv6vxC-Cb9xagmPcmqdxl6Wpq60/view?pli=1
Should be interesting, I’m gonna assume they are going for settlement until I see otherwise.
Scoop Malinowski · March 19, 2025 at 9:24 am
Just got this DM today from ex ATP player: “Womens draw in IW and Miami rigged in favor of 2 junior player wildcards. Two different WC players drew the same lowest ranked player who got in on a protected ranking.”
Scoop Malinowski · March 19, 2025 at 9:25 am
Sandgren quietly retired after losing 2R to Tristan Boyer at Savannah Challenger 11 months ago.
Steve · March 20, 2025 at 8:14 am
I liked Sandgren, will never forget his Aussie battle vs. Federer but check this out.
ATP minimum guaranteed salary:
ATP will raise the guaranteed minimum thresholds in 2025: to $200,000 (up from $150,000) for singles players ranked 101-175, and $100,000 (up from $75,000) for players ranked 176-250. The threshold for Top 100 will remain at $300,000. The new thresholds mean that all players who finished 2024 in the Top 250 will earn a minimum of $100,000 in 2025, provided they play a minimum of 15 events.
–seems pretty good
Sam · March 24, 2025 at 5:18 am
Scoop, do you think this lawsuit is going to go anwhere? 🤔
Sam · March 24, 2025 at 5:18 am
Make that “anywhere.” 😉
Scoop Malinowski · March 24, 2025 at 8:59 am
Steve, Everybody likes Sandgren, he was a real underdog story, took him six years to win his first ATP main tour level match – in Washington DC vs Soeda or Sugita – and then he won a title and made two Grand Slam QFs. Very inspiring story and player. That the ATP is now being more supportive of the lower ranked strugglers is a sign that the PTPA lawsuit threat is already forcing positive much needed changes.
Scoop Malinowski · March 24, 2025 at 9:05 am
Sam, Yes I do. PTPA are not playing around, this has been building like a volcano for years and when it blows it’s going to be epic. ATP reportedly is already threatening players who support PTPA. I read that reps are approaching players in the locker room and telling them that the legal costs of this legal battle will result in lowered prize money, an indirect threat. PTPA obviously has the leverage and evidence to threaten the powers that be who will have to give up more than just some crumbs. Tennis establishment is in a civil war right now – with a most formidable, heroic and committed challenger.
Sam · March 30, 2025 at 11:30 pm
Scoop, I hope that does happen. The tennis establishment deserves to be completely shaken up. 🤨
Scoop Malinowski · March 31, 2025 at 8:04 am
That process has already commenced Sam. Imagine the lawsuit will expose some astounding behind the scenes info.
Sam · April 7, 2025 at 4:37 am
Well, Scoop, unless a lot of money changes hands. 🤑
Scoop Malinowski · April 7, 2025 at 8:08 am
I don’t see PTPA rolling over for a deal here.
Sam · April 14, 2025 at 4:26 am
Well, hopefully you’re right, but nothing would really surprise me. 😏
Sam · April 14, 2025 at 4:37 am
Good point on Karen Carpenter, I also wonder if she had to make a blood contract for her fame and fortune and what the real reason was about her death.
Well, she’d been abusing her body with laxatives for almost a decade before her death, and in some pictures she looks frighteningly emaciated. Honestly, she probably did die from complications from anorexia, but no doubt the difficulties brought on by fame sped things up. 😭 Apparently her mother was a nutjob too, yet Karen never stopped seeking her approval. And she was desperately looking for love her whole life, but could never actually find it. Her whole story is just heartbreaking. 😿
I believe that on the morning she died, her best friend Olivia Newton-John was getting ready to meet her for lunch, and then on the way to the restaurant, she heard on the radio that Karen was gone. 😟 Karen had probably the purest female voice ever in the world of pop music.
Yes he is still alive but supposedly died twice from overdoses, or so the story goes. Great guy but mixed up in a dark industry.
I’m glad he’s still alive at least. Hopefully he can find some peace and healing. 🙏
Scoop Malinowski · April 14, 2025 at 8:41 am
Sam, this is some major news the tennis media is ignoring. Mafioso tactics used to threaten Opelka… “Reilly Opelka testified that ATP Tour chairman Andrea Gaudenzi sent an unnamed player to warn him that if he didn’t take his name off the lawsuit, Opelka would lose his pension and be bogged down with millions of dollars in legal fees.”
Scoop Malinowski · April 14, 2025 at 8:49 am
Karen Carpenter is the Novak Djokovic of female singers. And then there’s all the rest – Donna Summer, Olivia Newton John, Selena, Sheena Easton, Aretha Franklin, Roberta Flack. Yes Phil is still out there working, I think his label has signed bands with names like “Child Bite” and “Eye Hate God.” despicable.