"It is fundamentally unfair" - Novak Djokovic-led PTPA's ED calls out ATP, WTA for not compensating players for serving in key roles

The ATP and WTA came under fire from Novak Djokovic-led Professional Tennis Players Association or PTPA's executive director (ED) Ahmad Nassar. Nassar has called out the agencies over their practice of not compensating players holding key roles in the advisory councils.

Founded by Djokovic and Canadian Vasek Pospisil in 2019, PTPA has been raging a diplomatic fight against the existing governing bodies in tennis over various issues concerning the players' welfare. Nassar has been overseeing the operations since mid-2022.

Nassar spoke to Ubitennis recently, highlighting the hardships of tennis professionals and the lack of support from ATP and WTA.

"I think player councils are a good thing. We abbreviate it to player councils, the real name in the bylaws of those organizations is player advisory councils. They are illusions of having control. You don’t have control when you’re an advisor," Nassar said.

He then mentioned the absence of financial returns for players such as Victoria Azarenka, who's serving as a leading member of the WTA Players' Council, for their administrative services.

"I’ve told (Victoria) Azarenka and players who’ve served for a long time, that I respect the hell out of what they do is incredible. So many of them take it so seriously and they don’t get paid a nickel for doing it," the PTPA ED added.

"And it takes time out of their day and their practice schedule, but it is just fundamentally unfair. These players bear zero fault. They have my enduring admiration."

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Novak Djokovic has served as ATP Player Council's president

Novak Djokovic (Getty)

In the same conversation with Ubitennis, Ahmad Nassar revealed that the majority of his PTPA colleagues, including Ons Jabeur, Bethanie Mattek-Sands, and Hubert Hurkacz, have seen the player councils from close quarters and are aware of their shortcomings.

"Half of my executive committee for the PTPA has served on the WTA and the ATP player councils for many, many years. So these guys know exactly the limitations of being an advisory body. You don’t have any say. And it’s frustrating," Nassar said.

He continued:

"I think they are good things, but they are not good when they are presented as adequate and as the sole representation of the players."

Notably, Novak Djokovic served as the president of ATP Player Council between 2016 and 2020. However, he gave up the position in order to lead the PTPA in becoming the representative of players on the men's and women's circuits.