NEW YORK – Novak Djokovic, number 1, and Vasek Pospisil, former top 30, would be the co-presidents of a new group they are trying to create to represent male professional tennis players.
An emailed letter to the players – and obtained on Friday by the Associated Press – urges the formation of an association of professional tennis players, abbreviated PTPA.
Sent shortly before the start of the US Open on Monday, the letter states that its goal is “to solicit the support of players in forming an association with a mandate to promote, protect and represent the interests of its players … and protect the future of tennis. “
Tennis players have never had a union like North American team sports do. Each player is considered an independent contractor.
“Unlike many other professional sports, men’s professional tennis has never had a representative body represented for the players by the players,” the email read.
The men’s tennis tour is organized by the ATP; the women’s tennis tour is operated by the WTA.
Earlier this year, there was much talk of tweets from 20-time Grand Slam champion Roger Federer about the possibility of combining the two tours.
This proposal would create something for men only ranked in the top 500 in singles and in the top 200 in doubles.
“The goal of the PTPA is not to replace the ATP, but to provide players with a self-governing structure that is independent of the ATP and which directly responds to the needs and concerns of the player-members,” said the e -mail.
The letter said the PTPA would be governed by the board of trustees with up to nine members, elected annually.
Directors would appoint two co-presidents for two-year terms – and the first leadership duo would be Djokovic, a 33-year-old Serb who owns 17 Grand Slam singles trophies, and Pospisil, a 30-year-old from Canada who won the doubles title. of Wimbledon in 2014 and is currently No. 92 in single.
Among the areas the PTPA would look into, according to the email: ATP and tournament rules and regulations, revenue sharing, disciplinary action, pensions, travel, food and on-site services, insurance and medical care.
There would be an odds structure with players paying an amount based on their rankings – from a maximum of $ 1,500 for those in 1-50 to $ 75 for those in positions 401-500, and a maximum of doubles of $. 1,000 for those 1-30.
The total fees listed in the letter would bring in $ 317,500 annually.
The email asks players to sign a letter in support of the PTPA and says “if a significant number of players support this initiative, we will move forward” by writing the statute and proposing a board of directors.
At least one player has stated he will sign: 2016 Wimbledon runner-up Milos Raonic.
“The players had plenty of time to think and reflect and take a look at some parts they might not be happy with and discuss,” Raonic said on Friday after reaching the Western & Southern Open final.
“Many of us have been kept in the dark by our leadership for six months. We have been disappointed by many things. I have expressed my opinion on many things, such as … executives of other sports accepting wage cuts to support us. Like. the tennis players, we weren’t earning a dime for months on end.… The inferior guys weren’t earning a dime, ”Raonic said. “But our executives stayed at home and didn’t find it necessary to accept pay cuts. I insisted on it every single phone call we got.”
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