Nick Kyrgios reveals the truth behind Novak Djokovic-led PTPA’s lawsuit against ATP, ITIA, calls for major changes in tennis

Nick Kyrgios recently spoke in-depth about the PTPA's lawsuit against ATP, ITIA, WTA, and ITF. The Aussie believes that pro tennis is lagging behind other popular sports in terms of its structure and financial incentives, which the players-only body aims to change with its class action against the sport's governing bodies.

The former World No. 13, who has played only three singles matches this season thus far, sat down with Sky Sports on Tuesday (March 18) after PTPA's filing its case in a New York court. When asked about the specific changes that the Novak Djokovic-led organization was angling for, he claimed that a lack of a union that coalesces the interest of the pros and the constant change in balls employed at tournaments were two issues that needed to be addressed.

"I mean, we're the only sport in the world that doesn't have a players' association. So, PTPA's first kind of goal was to get the players to be heard. I feel like we don't get heard," Nick Kyrgios told Sky Sports (1:00 onwards). "For instance, we use different balls pretty much every week, like things that shouldn't be happening in an absolute-high professional sport at the top level."

The interviewer then pressed Kyrgios on PTPA not having achieved any "real progress" since its inception in 2020. While the 29-year-old didn't outright disagree with her, he did infer that the bridge in power between ATP and PTPA was a major factor behind the resistance to change.

"Of course, but I mean that's why ATP has so much power. And they don't show anything to anyone," the Aussie said. "This will have to change, they'll have to change things, how things are operated."

He added that the distribution of the revenue to the players was inequitable compared to other sports, which is one of the main reasons behind the Djokovic-led PTPA's lawsuit.

"I don't think players have ultimately been happy with what they've earned on tour comparitively to other sports," he said. "I think that's one of the main reasons also."

---

Nick Kyrgios: "Myself, Novak Djokovic, Vasek Pospisil, we all wanted to do this for the future of tennis"

Novak Djokovic (L) and Nick Kyrgios have become close lately | Image Source: Getty

During the interaction with Sky Sports, Nick Kyrgios also talked about his own involvement in the PTPA-ATP scuffle considering he has been named as one of the plaintiffs in the case filing. The Aussie said that the players-only organization's lawsuit marked a "special moment for tennis".

"I think people knew something was going on behind the scenes for a long time, and I think that myself, Pospisil, Djokovic, we all wanted to do something like this for the future of tennis, you know," Nick Kyrgios told Sky Sports (0:09). "I know the players, and myself, and many other players were unhappy with the structure and everything that's going on in tennis at the moment.

"I've been as involved as I can be with everything that I've got going on. I think it's a special moment for tennis for sure, I think things need to change. So it's a big day for tennis."

Kyrgios, meanwhile, will begin his Miami Masters campaign against the USA's Mackenzie McDonald in the first round later this week.