“Nobody wants us” Novak Djokovic points out the discrimination faced by the PTPA in major tennis decisions
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Novak Djokovic
World No. 1 Novak Djokovic is one of the co-founders of the Professional Tennis Player’s Association (PTPA) along with Canadian player Vasek Pospisil. Novak came to the decision after having served as one of the Presidents of the ATP’s Player’s Councils and after finding flaws in it, founded PTPA in order to call out both ATP and WTA in the protection of the players as the PTPA represents the top-500 singles players and top-200 doubles players of both the ATP and WTA.
With the tennis world currently in frenzy as the ATP and WTA have hit back at the LTA and Wimbledon by docking the Grand Slam of all of its ranking points this year for its decision to ban Russian and Belarusian players, Djokovic discussed how the decision over Wimbledon was done without consulting the PTPA which has a good number of members.
“I don’t think this system works for the players, that is why the PTPA was found. I really believe that PTPA will get stronger with time, even though now nobody recognizes us, we are not given any credibility, nobody wants us in this ecosystem. We have no role in the negotiations, the only thing we can do is to put out statements like we did on several big topics,” said Novak speaking in the press conference after winning his first-round match at the 2022 French Open.
Novak Djokovic says PTPA is the process to unite players
With players often complaining about various decisions taken by the ATP and WTA which are not in accordance with the players, the PTPA hopes to end this dilemma and make tennis a better sport by allowing the voices of all involved to be heard and Djokovic feels that by founding PTPA, they have started this process.
“But the fact is that others don’t want to speak to us despite PTPA membership being a few hundred players, both male and female. It’s a process to unite the players, that is why I support these kinds of decisions, but again, not every player does. It is an individual sport, there is always going to be a difference of opinion,” added Novak as he now prepares for his second-round match at the Roland Garros where he will take on the winner of the clash between Alex Molcan and Federico Coria.
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Sarthak Shitole
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