'Ridiculous' and 'laughable' claims in players' lawsuit against tennis should prompt a reality check

OPINION

The Professional Tennis Players Association, PTPA, was created five years ago by Novak Djokovic and the Canadian player Vasek Pospisil in an effort to generate a better lot for professional tennis players.

A union it was not, insisted Djokovic time and again, claiming it was simply an association. He also frequently repeated they were not there to fight against the likes of the men's tour, the ATP, or the women's tour, the WTA, etc.

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They just wanted better conditions and a greater share of the tournament takings. Sounds like a union.

The PTPA has now launched a lawsuit against the ATP, WTA, ITF (International Tennis Federation) and the ITIA (International Tennis Integrity Authority) saying it is "exposing a corrupt, illegal and abusive system".

Looks like the original mantra of not wanting to fight is right out the window.

The PTPA says its lawsuit will show the "corrupt governing bodies systemically abuse, silence and exploit players to drive personal profits through monopolistic control and that the named governing bodies have long standing and wide-ranging practices that have harmed players, fans and the sport which pose a grave threat to its future".

Apparently, the legal actions raised have been supported overwhelmingly by the top 250-plus players, including a majority of the top 20. It says the players are seeking a fair, transparent system to prioritise their rights, health and safety over the supposedly unchecked authority of the sport's governing bodies. They say they want the same protections and opportunities as athletes in other professional sports.

A few players have been named in support of the PTPA, including Nick Kyrgios, while Aryna Sabalenka, the world No.1, knew next to nothing about the lawsuit when asked about it at a pre-event media conference for this week's Miami Open.

It is also curious that neither Djokovic, as a co-founder of the PTPA, nor any of the four majors – Australian Open, Roland Garros, Wimbledon and the US Open – were named in the legal proceedings. The four majors may come under the ITF umbrella, but they are all independent entities.

The PTPA alleges competition is suppressed between tournaments, which restricts earning opportunities for players and that prizemoney levels have been capped. They use an example that the 2024 US Open earned $US12.8million ($20m AUD) for a speciality cocktail which was more than they paid the respective singles champions.

One would think income such as that helps towards the overall prizemoney levels, which must support 128 players in the both the men's and the women's singles draw, along with the doubles, mixed doubles and wheelchair events. There are also players who bow out in the qualifying rounds and must be compensated.

If it's the view of the PTPA to criticise the USTA, which stages the US Open, for a drink that is sold during the tournament and go boo hoo for not receiving a slice of that income, why have they not been named in the lawsuit?

The PTPA claims tennis players are paid only 17 per cent of revenues compared to lucrative competitions like NFL (players receive 49 per cent) and NBA (50 per cent). You cannot compare tennis to team sports. Tennis is an individual sport, and the players are independent contractors.

Even comparing it to golf is like comparing apples to oranges.

They criticise that the name and image of a player is used in marketing for tournaments with zero compensation. The tours need the ability to promote their product and when tournaments do the same, they have invariably paid a sizable guarantee to the player for that right. If players made themselves more accessible to the media, things would certainly be better.

Tennis, unlike golf, has equal prizemoney pools for men and women across the board at combined events. As an example, the Indian Wells and Miami Open winners earn USD $1.1 million for each event while a first round loser earns USD $24,000.

The PTPA claims player earnings are suppressed. Really? Because a player is not allowed to play an exhibition or special event within a certain distance and/or time frame of an official tournament? Would the PTPA simply prefer open slather and players be allowed to do what they want?

There is no salary cap in tennis as there is in rugby league, players can earn as much as their ability and drawing power allows.

The tour calendar is also on the complaints list. It's no secret the calendar has been a bone of contention for decades, with players feeling overworked by a schedule that runs from January to November. There may be truth to that complaint but consider the huge number of jobs it is providing the players along with the opportunities.

It also must be noted that an 11-month schedule is only relevant to a handful of players who have had the good fortune to qualify for the year-end championships for a massive amount of prizemoney and/or chosen to represent their country in the Davis Cup or Billie Jean Cup final.

Players suggest they play too much. Okay, then just play what you want to, no one is holding a gun to your heads. It's easy to be cynical about the schedule complaint because when given time off, many of the players head straight to exhibitions for the six figure appearance fees.

Tennis players putting their names to this lawsuit along with the PTPA need a reality check and consider what things are like in the real world. In the real world if you don't perform and don't get the results for a period you are out. Professional tennis players are not owed a job, and that's the same for a tennis writer, or a broadcaster or a ditch digger.

It's laughable to read that part of the suit states "the unsustainable schedule requires players to travel on their own dime and handle their own logistics … across six continents". Seriously? Talk about a lame argument and a first world problem. Are they that immature to be unable to handle such matters?

Who pays for anyone to travel for free? The players are already receiving free 5-star accommodation while in a tournament draw as well as ground transport, free meals on-site, free laundry, free activities and an event like the Australian Open provides an additional per diem.

And then there is the point they make about playing even when temperatures are approaching 40 degrees, while also enduring matches occasionally ending at 3am. Maybe the PTPA could check the facts because when the conditions reach a designated level, play is stopped until things improve. And they should ask any player if they want to stop playing mid-match if it goes beyond a certain time. The likely answer would be no. Not even the PTPA's Executive Director Ahmad Nassar would be able to determine when a match might finish.

Oh, as for the tennis balls and the different ones used at different events, ask five players about them and you'd likely get seven opinions on what they like and don't like. And Mr. Nassar, let's not forget tennis ball sponsorships help to pay prizemoney for players.

Tennis tournaments are a business. They cost a lot of money to stage and tournaments need to make a profit to be able to continue in business otherwise they fail and drop off and in turn tennis players will lose job opportunities. Maybe the PTPA needs to look at that closely.

No one suggests everything is perfect but to launch a suit with so many over the top accusations is ridiculous and does nothing for the sport. The judge who oversees it should throw it out of court and probably suggest a reality check.