Djokovic continues to criticize the ATP.

Novak Djokovic believes that the way the Men's Professional Tennis Association (PMTI) operates and manages things puts most players at a disadvantage.

"90% of the time on the ATP, players get the worst," Djokovic said in a video posted by the Professional Tennis Players Association (PTPA) on October 19. "Why? Because the structure of this system doesn't allow players to have the right to make decisions."

Three years ago, Djokovic founded the Professional Tennis Players Association (PTPA) – an organization that serves as a counterweight to the Association of Professional Tennis Players (ATP). This organization is tasked with protecting the rights of professional tennis players, from income and pension funds to insurance and vacation arrangements. Djokovic was previously a key member of the ATP players' council, but was forced to leave his position after establishing the PTPA.

Djokovic has always been concerned about the rights of his fellow ATP competitors. Photo: AP

Djokovic holds the record for the most prize money in tennis history, with over $175.2 million. He acknowledges that top players benefit from the current ATP prize money system, but lower-ranked players do not. The Serbian player has long been concerned about the rights of his lower-ranked colleagues.

"There's a monopoly in tennis," Djokovic said, referring to the ATP's control over the players. "Many media outlets try to avoid the issue because it doesn't benefit them. If you want to make a difference, the majority must work together, and that won't happen if the parties have different interests. That's why the PTPA exists, because it represents 100% and cares about the players."

Since becoming President of the PTPA, Djokovic has repeatedly criticized the ATP and has also significantly helped his colleagues improve their rights when competing on the Tour. Under pressure from the PTPA, in August, the ATP announced a financial support program to guarantee income for players in the top 250. This program is expected to begin in 2024, with a three-year trial period.

In the event that a player's earnings from competition in a year fall below a guaranteed threshold, the ATP will compensate for the shortfall. The top 100 ATP players are guaranteed $300,000. $150,000 applies to players ranked 101st to 175th, and $75,000 to players ranked 176th to 250th. This allows players who are not performing well to continue hiring coaches and staff in the hope of improving their performance in subsequent years.

Vy Anh

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