'I don't need to sign the letter': Novak Djokovic reveals why he was not part of tennis legal action
Novak Djokovic doesn’t want the antitrust lawsuit filed by the players’ association he co-founded to create a rift in tennis, but he also said the athletes’ share of revenues and their influence both need to increase.
The 24-time grand slam champion, speaking at a pre-tournament news conference at the Miami Open, explained that he was not listed among the plaintiffs on the case filed Tuesday in federal court in New York — along with actions in Brussels and London — “because I want other players to step up.”
"In general, I felt like I don't need to sign the letter because I want other players to step up. I've been very active in tennis politics," he said, noting his role over years in the players' council.
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"I've tried to do my very best during my very active career when I was playing the most matches in my career and didn't have so much time and energy.
"But nevertheless, I felt that it's also my responsibility in my role to try to use the influence and the role to support players and to fight for their rights and it's been almost 20 years that I've been on the tour.
Novak Djokovic responds to hecklers during his third-round match at the 2025 Australian Open. Getty
"I've seen some changes, but you know there's some fundamental changes there are still yet to be made and I really hope that all the governing bodies including PTPA will come together and solve these issues."
The suit by the Professional Tennis Players’ Association (PTPA) against the women’s and men’s tours, the International Tennis Federation and the sport’s integrity agency said the organisations hold “complete control over the players’ pay and working conditions,” calling them a “cartel.”
“I’ve never been a fan and supporter of division in our sport, but I’ve always fought for better representation and influence of and positioning of the players globally in our sport, which I think is still not where I think it should be,” Djokovic said, “and where most of the players think it should be, not just in terms of prize money, but in terms of many other points that have been also stated in that document.”
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The PTPA said it had spoken with more than 250 players — women and men — and gotten backing for the class-action suit.
Players whose names are attached to the U.S. lawsuit include 2022 Wimbledon runner-up Nick Kyrgios, Sorana Cirstea, Varvara Gracheva, Reilly Opelka, Tennys Sandgren and Nicole Melichar-Martinez.
Novak Djokovic and Nick Kyrgios have been vocal about the state of the game. Getty
But four-time major champion Carlos Alcaraz said at the Miami Open that he did not support the action — in part because he wasn’t aware he’d be quoted in the filing, hadn’t been told it was happening and didn’t agree with everything stated by the attorneys.
Djokovic echoed that last sentiment.
“I really hope that all the governing bodies, including PTPA, will come together and solve these issues,” he said. “This is a classic lawsuit, so lawyers to lawyers, type of situation.
"So to be quite frank with you, there are things that I agree with in the lawsuit, and then there are also things that I don’t agree with.
"And I found that maybe some wording was quite strong in there, but I guess the legal team knows what they are doing and what kind of terminology they’re supposed to use in order to get the right effect.”
Carlos Alcaraz did not know he was quoted in the lawsuit. Getty
The Serbian tennis icon added: "You know, a lot of the people have always been relying on me to say something about this matter as I'm doing right now.
"And I don't mind talking about it, but I would like to see the current leaders on the respective tours and the future generations...to take a lead and to understand that these issues are important for them. And for the players, not just for them, but also for the other players that they're representing.
"(Even) if you're not part of the PTPA or whatever, if you're not part of any body that represents players, you still, as a top player, you're regarded, celebrated from so many hundreds or thousands of professional tennis players around the world.
"I personally feel that there's a responsibility and accountability that comes with that.
"You have to carry that weight with you, you have to always remember that you were also in their shoes and, you know, we all know how hard is in the first year, second year of professional tennis trying to break through,"
