• Loading stock data...
Wednesday, July 30, 2025
Tuned In returns to NYC on September 16. Hear from the biggest names in sports media. Click here to get your spot
Law

ATP, WTA Ask Judge to Dismiss ‘Tennis Cartel’ Lawsuit 

The tours and the other governing bodies in pro tennis filed motions to throw out a sweeping antitrust lawsuit from players.

Tennis
Eric Bolte-Imagn Images

The organizations that run pro tennis have asked a federal court to dismiss much of a sweeping antitrust lawsuit from a dozen players and the Professional Tennis Players Association.

The motions, filed last Tuesday night and early Wednesday morning, asked the judge in the case to throw out much of the case and send the remainder to binding arbitration or a different court. They also asked the judge to stay the case.

The lawsuit, filed in March, alleges a vast antitrust conspiracy among the governing bodies to restrain player pay, control the number of tournaments, impose harsh work conditions, and punish dissent. The defendants are the ATP and WTA Tours, the International Tennis Federation, and the International Tennis Integrity Agency, which oversees the sport’s drug testing and monitors integrity issues. They each filed their own individual motion to dismiss, as well as a joint version seeking to remove the PTPA as a plaintiff.

The bodies took a common tactic in sports lawsuits, claiming the case should be sent to binding arbitration or another court. To play on the tours, or on the ITF’s feeder circuits, players must sign a membership form that includes an arbitration or forum provision.

“This Court should compel arbitration for the WTA Plaintiffs in accordance with the arbitration provision in the WTA Rulebook,” the WTA motion reads.  The ITF similarly contends, “The arbitration agreements between the 12 Player Plaintiffs cover this dispute, are enforceable, and should be enforced.” In the ATP’s case, its forum provision requires cases to be filed in Delaware, not the New York federal court the players’ case is in.

Whether the forms tennis players sign in order to play on tour are the same as the NFL’s and other leagues’ is likely to be contested. The arbitration terms in leagues like the NFL are collectively bargained, while a tennis player is an independent contractor who has no choice but to sign if he or she wants to play.

And the ITIA argues in its own motion to dismiss that it has no role in organizing the pro tennis business and playing structure, but its role is limited to drug testing and monitoring for game fixing.

“Nowhere in their 475-paragraph Complaint do Plaintiffs allege a single fact, much less plausibly allege, that the ITIA—an entity whose mission is to safeguard the integrity of professional tennis by overseeing the anti-doping and anti-corruption rules…entered into an agreement to monopsonize the market for men’s and women’s professional tennis players.”

The lawsuit alleges the four defendants formed an illegal monopoly and over professional tennis. The suit, filed in several countries, calls the governing bodies a “cartel.” 

The four defendants also filed a motion to dismiss jointly to remove the PTPA from the case. The PTPA has testified it has no official members because of tour rules that prevent membership in competing organizations, and the defendants argue that the PTPA accordingly has no standing.

The ATP and WTA also sought to have players from opposite tours dismissed as plaintiffs. In other words, the ATP wants to remove women’s players from the suit against the men’s tour, and the WTA wants to remove men’s players from the suit against the women’s tour.

The players and the PTPA sued the four defendants jointly. The 12 former and current players are Vasek Pospisil, Nicholas Kyrgios, Anastasia Rodionova, Nicole MelicharMartinez, Saisai Zheng, Sorana Cîrstea, John-Patrick Smith, Noah Rubin, Aldila Sutjiadi, Varvara Gracheva, Tennys Sandgren, and Reilly Opelka. Novak Djokovic, who co-founded the PTPA with Pospisil, did not join the lawsuit.

While much of the arguments in the filings concerned what are largely legalistic matters like forum and standing, the defendants did briefly address the core charge of collusion.

 “In the absence of ‘factual matter’ suggesting ATP and WTA entered into an unlawful agreement, any claim that there is a conspiracy between ATP and WTA is simply not plausible and should be dismissed,” the ATP wrote.

And the WTA argued, “Plaintiffs’ Complaint only provides a handful of conclusory allegations of a conspiracy between the WTA and ATP.

“Because this Circuit gives no effect to legal conclusions couched as factual allegations, Plaintiffs’ conclusory allegations of an agreement do not supply facts adequate to show illegality and must fail.”

There is a hearing in the case next week to schedule important deadlines in the case. The court might set dates to argue these motions then.

Linkedin
Whatsapp
Copy Link
Link Copied
Link Copied

What to Read

Jul 24, 2025; Washington, D.C., USA; Venus Williams (USA) waves to the crowd after her match against Magdalena Frech (POL)(not pictured) in a women's singles match on day four of the Mubadala Citi DC Open at Rock Creek Park Tennis Center.

Venus Williams Returns to U.S. Open Ahead of New Mixed Doubles Format

The number of doubles teams at the US Open has been cut to 16 from 32.
Jul 27, 2025; Washington, D.C., USA; Leylah Fernandez (CAN) celebrates with the championship trophy after her match against Anna Kalinskaya (not pictured) in the women's singles final of the Mubadala Citi DC Open at Rock Creek Park Tennis Center.

DC Open Increases Women’s Purse by 39%, Keeps 2027 Target for Equal..

DC Open chairman Mark Ein spoke to Front Office Sports.
Jul 13, 2025; Wimbledon, United Kingdom; Jannik Sinner (ITA) stands on the South West Hall balcony holding the gentlemen's singles champion trophy, after his match against Carlos Alcaraz (ESP)(not pictured) in the gentlemen's' singles final of The Championships Wimbledon 2025 at All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club.

Jannik Sinner Reunites With Coach Tied to Banned Doping Spray

Sinner did not miss any Grand Slams due to the ban.

Featured Today

Las Vegas sign

College Sports Embracing Vegas After Years of Cold Shoulder

The Big Ten became the latest newcomer to Sin City.
2000, Jupiter, FL, USA; FILE PHOTO; Montreal Expos pitcher Hideki Irabu in action on the mound against the New York Mets at Roger Dean Stadium during Spring Training
July 28, 2025

Dead Sports Franchises Are Alive and Well on Twitter

The Expos, Sonics, and Whalers have active social media accounts.
Limited Hype
July 27, 2025

Sneaker Reselling Was Once Easy Money. Success Is Now Complicated

Vendors need to evolve what they’re selling and how they do it.
HAPPY GILMORE 2. BTS - (L to R) Adam Sandler as Happy Gilmore and Rory McIlroy as himself on the set of Happy Gilmore2.
July 26, 2025

‘Cool As Hell’: How ‘Happy Gilmore 2’ Hooked Golf’s Top Stars

The process was “cool as hell,” Adam Sandler tells FOS.
Jul 22, 2025; Brooklyn, New York, USA; Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark (not in uniform) celebrates from the bench in the first quarter against the New York Liberty at Barclays Center.

Man Who Stalked Clark Gets 2 Years in Prison

He sent more than 800 messages and visited Indianapolis to see Clark.
Little League Baseball
July 23, 2025

Little Leaguer Gets Bat Flip Suspension Lifted by Judge

No Little League rule bans bat flipping.
Hockey Canada
July 24, 2025

Judge Finds All Five Former Hockey Canada Players Not Guilty of Sexual..

The judge said she did not find the accuser’s testimony “credible or reliable.”
Sponsored

Game On: Portfolio Players Stories, Brought to You by E*TRADE from Morgan Stanley

Dealmaker Jeffrey Kaplan maps the evolution of sports as an asset class
Oneida Sports Wagering Lounge 02102022 0014
July 23, 2025

California Tribes Sue Kalshi and Robinhood

This is the latest in a series of lawsuits the prediction exchange is facing.
Chargers
July 22, 2025

Chargers Sued by Season-Ticket Holder Over Game Moved to Brazil

A fan lawsuit seeks a refund for a Chiefs game moved to Brazil.
Jun 10, 2025; Cincinnati, OH, USA; Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow (9) jogs practice at Paycor Stadium.
July 21, 2025

How Federal Charges for Pawn Shop Owners Fit Into Wider String of..

They’re linked to a group charged with robbing several athletes’ homes.
Princeton
July 17, 2025

Transgender Sprinter Sues Princeton Over Last-Minute Ban

The sprinter was removed 15 minutes before her race.