Players’ association says close to deal with Tennis Australia over lawsuit

BENGALURU: The Professional Tennis Players’ Association (PTPA) is nearing a settlement with Tennis Australia over a lawsuit filed against several of the sport’s governing bodies seeking reforms, lawyers for the advocacy group said on Wednesday.

The PTPA filed a class-action lawsuit in March saying the ATP, WTA, International Tennis Federation and International Tennis Integrity Agency had indulged in anti-competitive practices and showed a disregard for player welfare.

Organisers of the four Grand Slam events were added to the case in September.

The men’s ATP Tour has previously said it believed the case was entirely without merit and would vigorously defend its position. The women’s WTA Tour described the lawsuit as “baseless”.

On Wednesday, lawyers for the PTPA, co-founded in 2020 by Novak Djokovic and Vasek Pospisil, filed a letter to the United States Southern District Court in New York saying there had been fruitful talks with the organisers of the Australian Open.

“Plaintiffs and Tennis Australia are engaged in substantive and productive bilateral settlement discussions and believe that a settlement as to plaintiffs’ claims against Tennis Australia is likely in the near future,” the PTPA’s lawyers wrote.

“Accordingly, plaintiffs and Tennis Australia respectfully request that this court enter an order staying all proceedings and deadlines in the case that pertain to Tennis Australia while the parties finalise their agreement.”

Reuters has contacted the governing body for comment.

The letter added the stay request would apply only to Tennis Australia, not the other defendants.

Tennis Australia is currently preparing for the Australian Open, which begins in Melbourne on January 18 and kicks off the new Grand Slam season.