World No. 1 Novak Djokovic is trying to form a new body to represent players and has resigned from his position as the president of the players council of the Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP), the New York Times reported yesterday.
Canadian Vasek Pospisil, a member of the Djokovic-led council, said he had also resigned.
“After two years on the ATP Player Council, I am resigning from my position as the player representative for the 51-100 ranking positions,” Pospisil wrote on Twitter. “It has become clear that, as a player council member within the current structure of the ATP, it is very difficult, if not impossible, to have any significant impact on any major decisions made by our tour.”
Photo: AP
The players are now assembled in New York’s bio-secure bubble ahead of the US Open from tomorrow.
The new body is to be called the Professional Tennis Players Association (PTPA) and a document detailing plans and objectives has been distributed to players, seeking their signatures.
“The goal of the PTPA is not to replace the ATP, but to provide players with a self-governance structure that is independent from the ATP and directly responsive to player-members’ needs and concerns,” the New York Times quoted the document as saying.
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Djokovic did not attend a post-match news conference after his win over Roberto Bautista Agut at the Western & Southern Open, with organizers saying that he “was not feeling well on court today and it worsened after the match.”
Representatives of Djokovic and Pospisil did not respond to requests for comment.
The ATP currently governs the men’s professional Tour and its board, chaired by former Italian professional player Andrea Gaudenzi, is composed of representatives of players and tournaments.
Photo: AP
The body did not respond to request for comment.
Milos Raonic, who faces Djokovic in today’s final, said that a “majority” of players were expected to sign in favor of the new association.
“Players have had plenty of time to think and reflect and take a look at certain parts which they may not be happy with and discuss,” he said after his semi-final win on Friday.
“I don’t know. A lot of us were kept in the dark by our leadership for six months. We were disappointed with many things,” he said.
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