Tennis Players Take Stand: Kyrgios Backs PTPA's Lawsuit Against Governing Bodies

Australian tennis player Nick Kyrgios has thrown his support behind the Professional Tennis Players Association's (PTPA) lawsuit against the sport's governing bodies, calling it a 'special moment' for tennis.

Australian tennis player Nick Kyrgios has expressed his support for the lawsuit filed by the Professional Tennis Players' Association (PTPA) against the sport's governing bodies, describing it as “a special moment for tennis.” Kyrgios believes that this move marks a significant milestone in the fight for players' rights.

The PTPA's lawsuit alleges that the men's and women's tours, as well as the International Tennis Federation and International Tennis Integrity Agency, have engaged in anti-competitive practices and neglected player welfare. Kyrgios emphasized that it is high time for players' voices to be heard, indicating a growing desire for change within the tennis community.

Nick Kyrgios, a former Wimbledon finalist and one of the 12 current and former players listed as plaintiffs in the US lawsuit against the ATP and WTA, has expressed his determination to bring about change in the sport. “I know that myself and many of the players aren't happy with the structures and everything that's going on in tennis at the moment,” Kyrgios told Sky Sports.

Kyrgios views this lawsuit as a pivotal moment for tennis, stating, “This will be a special moment in tennis, for sure. Things needed to change. It's a big day for tennis.” The Professional Tennis Players Association (PTPA) was formally established by Novak Djokovic and Vasek Pospisil in 2020 to advocate for players' rights.

Vasek Pospisil, co-founder of the PTPA, revealed that the organization has garnered significant support from players, having spoken to over 300 individuals. “The ATP/WTA has spread so much fear over the years that it's not easy to put your name on this publicly. Player support for this initiative is undeniable,” Pospisil added, highlighting the challenges faced by players in publicly backing the lawsuit.

Nick Kyrgios explains why the Professional Tennis Players' Association have started legal action against the sport's governing bodies. pic.twitter.com/i00erG01kH

— Sky Sports Tennis (@SkySportsTennis) March 18, 2025

The men's governing body, the ATP, has rejected the claims made by the Professional Tennis Players Association (PTPA) regarding an unfair system that exploits players and suppresses their earnings. Instead, the ATP accused the PTPA of creating “division and distraction.” Similarly, the women's governing body, the WTA, described the lawsuit as “regrettable and misguided.” Reuters has reached out to both organizations for further comment.

Nick Kyrgios emphasized the uniqueness of tennis, where players operate as independent contractors, and highlighted the need for a players' association. “We're the only sport in the world that doesn't have a players' association. That was the PTPA's first goal, to get the players to be heard,” Kyrgios explained. He criticized the ATP's lack of transparency, stating, “The ATP just had so much power, they don't have to show anything to anyone.”

𝗜𝘁’𝘀 𝘁𝗶𝗺𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝗳𝗶𝘅 𝘁𝗲𝗻𝗻𝗶𝘀.

Today, the PTPA and over a dozen players, on behalf of the entire professional population, filed a sweeping series of legal actions against the ATP, WTA, ITF and ITIA to reform professional tennis. https://t.co/1r4LWQpopP

— Professional Tennis Players Association (@ptpaplayers) March 18, 2025

Kyrgios believes that the lawsuit will bring about much-needed change, forcing the governing bodies to be more transparent. “Now things will have to change, they'll have to show things, how things operate and that's when people really realise that it hasn't really been done correctly,” he said. Kyrgios also identified player earnings as a key issue, stating, “I don't think players ultimately have been very happy with what they earn on the tour compared to other sports and I think that's definitely one of the main reasons.”