The Professional Tennis Players’ Association (PTPA) and Tennis Australia (TA) say they are likely to reach a settlement in the “near future” over the lawsuit filed against several governing bodies.
Earlier this year, the PTPA – co-founded by Novak Djokovic in 2020 with the aim of increasing player power – took legal action against the men’s and women’s tours, citing “anti-competitive practices and blatant disregard for player welfare.”
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In September, the four Grand Slam tournaments were added to the trial.
A letter filed with the United States Southern District Court in New York says the PTPA and the TA – which organizes the Australian Open – are engaged in “substantial and productive bilateral settlement discussions.”
He is asking Judge Margaret Garnett to stay proceedings against TA until a legal agreement is finalized.
But the letter also clarifies that the claim does not apply to the other defendants – the ATP Tour and the WTA Tour, as well as the French Tennis Federation, the All England Club and the US Tennis Association, which organize the French Open, Wimbledon and the US Open respectively.
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The 163-page lawsuit filed in New York in March seeks to end “monopolistic control” of the two tours. The PTPA believes they act as a “cartel” by entering into agreements with tournaments that cap prices and prevent potential competitors from entering the market.
The case also targets an “unsustainable” schedule and filing system.
There is now a real possibility that TA and the PTPA will reach a final agreement before the start of the Australian Open in January.
Whether TA will offer firm commitments regarding prize money or scheduling has not been disclosed, but an agreement could strengthen the PTPA’s hand with the other Grand Slam tournaments.
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The New York case could ultimately result in a jury trial. Separate complaints have been lodged with the European Commission and the UK’s Competition and Markets Authority, but the PTPA has previously admitted that an out-of-court settlement was a goal.
“The aim is not to pursue this matter to the end,” Ahmad Nassar, executive director of the PTPA, told BBC Sport in March.
“We are absolutely willing to do it, but it’s not what we actually need or want.
“What we want to do is bring everyone to the table to reform the sport in the way that many of them have already talked about it.”
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The New York judge is currently considering a motion filed by the ATP and WTA to dismiss the antitrust lawsuit.
The ATP said in March that it “strongly rejects the premises of the PTPA’s allegations” and called the case “completely without merit.”
The WTA cited a “baseless legal case that will divert time, attention and resources from our core mission to the detriment of our players and the sport as a whole.”
The International Tennis Federation and the International Tennis Integrity Agency were initially listed as defendants, but were dropped from the lawsuit in September.
