Novak Djokovic says he has “stepped away completely” from the Professional Tennis Players Association that he co-founded, citing concerns about “transparency and governance”.
Serbian Djokovic, 38, and Canadian tennis player Vasek Pospisil founded the breakaway player union in 2021.
In March 2025, the PTPA launched legal action against tennis’ governing bodies – including the ATP and WTA tours – over what it claimed are “anti-competitive practices and a blatant disregard for player welfare”.
The ATP and WTA both strongly rejected the accusations and said they would defend their position.
Djokovic, who has won 24 Grand Slam titles, said at the time that he did not agree with the entirety of the PTPA’s case and has now ended his association with the organisation.
“After careful consideration, I have decided to step away completely from the Professional Tennis Players Association,” Djokovic posted on X., external
“This decision comes after ongoing concerns regarding transparency, governance, and the way my voice and image have been represented.
“I am proud of the vision that Vasek and I shared when founding the PTPA, giving players a stronger, independent voice – but it has become clear that my values and approach are no longer aligned with the current direction of the organisation.
“I will continue to focus on my tennis, my family, and contributing to the sport in ways that reflect my principles and integrity. I wish the players and those involved the best as they move forward, but for me, this chapter is now closed.”
The PTPA set out to end what it called an “unsustainable” schedule and wanted to see a stop to “invasive searches of personal devices and random middle-of-the-night drug tests” by the International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA).
It was also claimed in the legal action that there is collusion between the tours and the tournaments, which suppresses competition between tournaments and may artificially restrict prize money.
The complaint was brought by the PTPA and 12 players – including Djokovic’s co-founder Pospisil and Australia’s former Wimbledon finalist Nick Kyrgios. They said the action was acting “on behalf of the entire player population”.
But current world number one Carlos Alcaraz, who was quoted criticising the hectic schedule in the lawsuit, said he did not support the legal action.
