Novak Djokovic continues to fight for PTPA, hopes fellow tennis players understand what the association can do for them

Novak Djokovic continues to fight the good fight despite all the hurdles he has encountered along the way, talking up the PTPA (Professional Tennis Players Association) and why it is essential that the organization remains alive.

Djokovic co-founded the PTPA with Vasek Pospisil in 2019, reasoning that tennis players needed an association that represented only them -- which is not the case with the ATP, as it represents both players and tournaments.

However, the organization has not picked up as much steam as the founders would have liked, as the ATP and the WTA remain the main representatives of the men's and women's tour to this day.

Speaking at his press conference in Adelaide after his 6-3, 6-2 opening round win, the 21-time Grand Slam champion revealed that the status quo could change soon, stating that the "right team" is being assembled to establish the PTPA firmly in the tennis ecosystem.

The Serb admitted that the organization has had legal challenges along the way, but despite all that, he remains firm in his assessment that the tennis world needs the PTPA if players are to profit appropriately.

"I think there's a lot of legal challenges along the way. We managed to overcome all those challenges, and we are gathering the right team of people with advisory board, people that are going to help with financing the association, of course people from the tennis world that will help us establish ourselves within the ecosystem, which I think is very important as we were not accepted and embraced by Grand Slams, ATP nor WTA, so it makes things difficult for us, but this association needs to live," he said.

The World No. 5 hoped his fellow players would understand the same as well, stating that only through the PTPA could they hope to have complete representation in the world they belong to.

"It needs to be there because players don't have 100 percent representation in the tennis world, unfortunately. With the association they have that," Djokovic said. "Hopefully more players will be showing the willingness to understand what PTPA can do for them."

The 35-year-old rued not getting credibility from the Grand Slams, the ATP and the WTA at the moment, but he was willing to keep fighting, seeing as others could reap the rewards of his battle for decades to come.

"It's a process that will take a longer time just because we are not getting credibility from other governing bodies, so it will take longer, but we'll stay there, and it's something that hopefully can stay for many decades to come," Djokovic said.

"Our doubles campaign ended very early but we had fun on the court" - Novak Djokovic on playing doubles with PTPA co-founder Vasek Pospisil in Adelaide

Novak Djokovic and Vasek Pospisil at the 2023 Adelaide International 1

Interestingly, Novak Djokovic also played doubles at the Adelaide International 1, partnering with PTPA co-founder Vasek Pospisil. Unfortunately, the pair had to settle for an opening-round loss, falling to Tomislav Brkic and Gonzalo Escobar.

Despite the result, the Serb was happy to have fun on the court with a friend, lavishing praise on Pospisil and calling him one of the "best doubles players in the world" as far as singles players go.

"Unfortunately our doubles campaign ended very early. We lost. But we had fun on the court. I think we played a good match. It was the first time that we played together," Djokovic said. "He is for me one of the best doubles players in the world from the singles players. He has won a Grand Slam, as well, and played well I think with Jack Sock at that time when he was playing more doubles."

The 21-time Grand Slam champion was also hopeful about the Canadian's future, stating that he can climb up the rankings as soon as he improves his physical side of the game again.

"Vasek and I have been friends for many years. He has been unfortunate with some injuries, but I believe in him. I think he's got a big game. I think some of the things physically, as well, for him he's struggling with at the moment," Djokovic said. "I feel like when he improves that, I feel like he's going to improve, also, in the rankings because he definitely has the potential to be up high with singles."