Is the PTPA founded by Djokovic just an empty shell? Former tennis star lashes out: It’s merely nominal.

The Professional Tennis Players Association (PTPA), spearheaded by Djokovic, has consistently clashed with ATP, WTA, and Grand Slam event organizers. The group has taken legal action against these authorities, alleging unfair player remuneration. Moreover, there is growing worry among players about the demanding tournament calendar.

As a 24-time Grand Slam champion, Djokovic has frequently voiced his dissatisfaction, urging the tours to address player rights issues — a stance he reiterated this month in Riyadh. However, not everyone agrees with the Serbian star’s position, including former ATP player Andy Roddick.

During the "Six Kings Exhibition," Djokovic participated in a forum where he candidly discussed the current state of tennis. He highlighted the pay disparity and explained that the PTPA has been challenging the ATP Tour’s “monopoly structure” in recent years, which has excluded players from decision-making. However, former American star Roddick expressed skepticism about Djokovic’s use of the term “monopoly” and sought clearer clarification.

On his personal podcast "Served" aired on October 21, Roddick said, “Is it the tour’s monopoly? Or the Grand Slams’ monopoly? Or both? You talk about the system, but which system exactly? You say monopoly, but what kind of monopoly are you referring to?”

The 2003 US Open champion continued, “Honestly, I think Novak’s intentions are good, and players respect him more and more as a leader in the sport. But if he wants to make public statements, he should be straightforward. This organization has existed for a long time, and we need a clear stance.”

Roddick further pointed out that the PTPA’s influence has been limited so far because it lacks the structure of a true union. “I believe tennis does need a union, but the players must decide who represents them. You can’t just create an organization and say ‘we represent you’ — that’s not how a union works, and that’s why the PTPA hasn’t had the impact it was expected to.”

Summarizing Djokovic’s remarks, Roddick added, “We talk about ‘monopoly,’ ‘injustice,’ and similar terms, but everyone wants things to improve. The question is — what does ‘better’ actually mean? In the end, we need concrete action plans.”

Speaking of “plans,” Djokovic has indeed taken steps, especially concerning the issue of an overly packed schedule. Recently, he reflected on his efforts from years ago and shared his views on the current tour calendar debate. Many may not know that Djokovic served as chairman of the ATP Player Council for four years more than a decade ago. Later, he founded the PTPA to strengthen players’ voices on key issues — particularly the demanding schedule. Looking back, he revealed, “I personally opposed extending the Masters tournaments’ duration from the start.”

He has consistently called for substantial reforms to the tennis calendar, saying, “Fifteen years ago, I already said we need to unite and reorganize the entire schedule.” In his view, real change will only happen when players stand together, “Especially the top players must sit down, roll up their sleeves, and get seriously involved in understanding all related issues.” He stressed that without unity, there is no progress: “I’ve been through it myself, trust me. It’s truly a very complex topic.”(Source: Tennis Home, Author: Spark)