On Friday, the governing bodies in charge of the four tennis Grand Slams rejected a proposal from the ATP and WTA tours that included schedule and pay changes on the pro tennis calendar. The rejection comes around a year after the Grand Slams presented their own restructuring proposal to the tours that did not result in any changes.
It also comes days after the Professional Tennis Players Association, cofounded by 24-time Grand Slam champion Novak Djokovic, filed a 163-page antitrust lawsuit that named the tours, the International Tennis Federation, and International Tennis Integrity Agency as defendants and the four Grand Slams as co-conspirators. The lawsuit alleges the groups are working as a “cartel” to curb player wages and opportunities, among other accusations.
Not all players are in lockstep with the lawsuit, including men’s world No. 3 Carlos Alcaraz, who said at a pre-tournament press conference for the Miami Open that while he agrees with some of the lawsuit’s claims, he is “not supporting” it.
With tennis’s governing bodies in disagreement and its players taking separate stances,a stark divide across all parties puts the future of tennis in flux.
What Are They Fighting For?
Alcaraz may have not agreed with the PTPA’s lawsuit, but he has been vocal about the long tennis calendar. He’s far from alone—and women’s world No. 2 Iga Świątek has also publicly complained about the schedule for years.
Some players are also frustrated with pay, as tennis pros are considered independent contractors rather than a union. Tennis players do not get a 50% split of revenue similar to the players in other major sports leagues, and according to The Athletic, prize money at Grand Slams and most ATP events is only about 15% to 20% of revenue.
Top-ranked men’s American Taylor Fritz told FOS last year that he believes players “absolutely” should be in a union despite not being involved in the PTPA’s lawsuit.
“Players are demanding the same rights, protections, and fair treatment that athletes in other major sports — like the NFL, NBA, MLB, WNBA, NWSL, international football and international cricket — have fought for and won,” the PTPA said in a statement Tuesday.
The proposals from both the tours and the Grand Slams appear to be attempts at addressing the complaints, but they tackle the issue in a way that’s clearly favorable for each party.
The proposal by the Grand Slams from last year would create a “premium tour” that would incorporate the four Grand Slams and 10 additional ATP and WTA 1000 events. This would significantly cut the required events, specifically for top stars, and also have a focus on equal pay.
This week’s proposal from the tours would cut about 40 tournaments from the calendar—about a third—but still include the ATP and WTA 500s and even some 250s events on the calendar.
The Grand Slams said the proposal was “no different to what we have already” in a letter sent back to the tours, per The Athletic.
