NEW DELHI: World number one Novak Djokovic has resigned as president of the ATP player council to front a new association aiming to increase the power of the players. India’s top two tennis professionals, Rohan Bopanna and Sumit Nagal, are among the 60 to 70 players to have already signed up to be a part of the newly formed Professional Tennis Players Association.
Bopanna, ranked 37th in doubles, and India’s highest-ranked singles player Nagal were both present in the meeting of the 60+ players on court in the US Open’s bubble in New York on Saturday. They, along with the other players, posed for a photo posted on social media by Canadian Vasek Pospisil, who has been a driving force behind the new association along with Djokovic.
Both the Indians also reposted a picture put up by Djokovic on Instagram with the caption: “After yesterday’s successful meeting, we are excited to announce the beginning of the Professional Tennis Players Association (PTPA). The first player only association in tennis since 1972. #PTPA”.
“One of the main reasons I joined the PTPA is because there was a lot of lack of communication from the ATP’s side to the players,” Bopanna, the 2017 French Open mixed doubles champion, told Hindustan Times from New York. “The players’ voices were never really heard at all, at many incidents. This association is basically to unify players and to have our voices heard. It’s not about anything else.”
Nagal told the daily in a text message: “The primary reason that I got in is to have a voice together as professional players.”
Both Djokovic and Pospisil have maintained that the PTPA does not intend to cause disruption within the existing ATP set up.
Bopanna seconded the view. “The goal of the PTPA is not to replace the ATP, but to provide players of a self-governance structure that is independent from the ATP and directly responsible for us as player members, our needs and concerns,” he said.
The decision to form a new union hasn’t cut ice with Djokovic’s biggest rivals and all-time greats in Rafel Nadal and Roger Federer, who are both part of the ATP players council. The two have urged for “unity, not for separation” in these challenging times for the sport. “We all, players, tournaments and governing bodies have to work together. We have a bigger problem and separation and disunion is definitely not the solution,” Nadal tweeted.
Federer retweeted the Spaniard’s tweet and said: “These are uncertain and challenging times, but I believe it’s critical for us to stand united as players, and as a sport, to pave the best way forward.”
Many other top players, like former world No. 1 Andy Murray, have opted against taking sides and are buying time for more clarity. Murray said he also wants women to be included in the male-only union.
“I have read in the letter from the ATP that they think the ATP cannot co-exist with this association. I have to respectfully disagree,” Djokovic said after winning the Western and Southern Open on Saturday.
“Legally, we are 100% safe, and we are allowed to form the player association. We are not calling for boycotts, we are not forming parallel tours. This is an important step for players, and for the sport as well.
“We just want to have our own organisation, that is 100% ours. We are definitely going to try and work with ATP, and all the governing bodies.”
All of tennis’ governing bodies — the ATP, the WTA and the four Grand Slams — have put up a united front against the move.
