The Professional Tennis Players’ Association (PTPA) has achieved a partial victory in its legal case against the men’s ATP Tour.
The PTPA accused the ATP of pressuring players to sign pre-written statements denying knowledge of the PTPA’s broader legal action. That lawsuit, filed in March, targets several governing bodies including the ATP, the WTA, the International Tennis Federation (ITF), and the International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA).
In court, the PTPA requested an order to stop the ATP from making “improper, coercive or threatening” comments to players regarding the case.
On Wednesday, New York Judge Margaret Garnett ruled that the ATP’s actions could be seen as “potentially coercive, deceptive or otherwise abusive,” regardless of intent. She found that ATP officials attempted to influence at least two players: world No. 2 Alexander Zverev and No. 13 Ben Shelton.
Judge Garnett noted that professional tennis players are “vulnerable to economic coercion,” since nearly all of their earning opportunities come from ATP-organized events.
The judge’s ruling only applies to the ATP. She prohibited the tour from “retaliating, or threatening retaliation” against players who are involved—or considering involvement—in the lawsuit. The ATP must also preserve all prior communications with players related to the legal case.
However, the judge did not grant the PTPA’s request to force the ATP to disclose those communications. She also declined to block all future ATP communication with players on the topic, stating that such a ban would prevent the tour from lawfully responding to the litigation.
An ATP spokesperson responded, saying: “ATP acknowledges the court’s ruling and will promptly comply with its directions. We remain committed to supporting our players, upholding the integrity of the game, and fully defending ourselves in the ongoing legal proceedings.”
The PTPA was co-founded by 24-time Grand Slam champion Novak Djokovic, who is not listed as a plaintiff in the lawsuit. In March, Djokovic said he agreed with some parts of the legal action, but not all.
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