Novak Djokovic-led PTPA keeping Coco Gauff, Carlos Alcaraz & others in dark before controversial lawsuit draws tennis insider's reaction

Veteran tennis journalist Jon Wertheim recently made an appearance on Andy Roddick's podcast to dissect Novak Djokovic-led PTPA's lawsuit against pro tennis' governing bodies. The two were joined by World No. 104 Christopher Eubanks as they dissected the fact that none of the top pros on the ATP and WTA Tours had signed up to be a part of the legal claim made by Djokovic's players-only organization.

Last week, PTPA's Executive Director, Ahmad Nassar, came out with the news that PTPA had filed a class action lawsuit in a New York-based court against ATP, WTA, ITIA and ITF. However, the fact that Carlos Alcaraz, Iga Swiatek, and Coco Gauff weren't consulted before the final draft of the filing has stuck out like a sore thumb to the tennis world.

Novak Djokovic, meanwhile, not only chose to be left out from the list of plaintiffs in the official court document, but also critiqued some phrasings in the filing later during a media interaction at the Miami Open. Against that background, Andy Roddick invited tennis insider Jon Wertheim and ATP pro Christopher Eubanks on the latest episode of his "Served with Andy Roddick" podcast to discuss the above topic.

Wertheim went as far as to call PTPA's failure to involve the top tennis pros "problematic" for the sport. He also questioned the confrontational nature of how Djokovic's players-only body is angling for a resolution.

"What is one thing we always say, 'It's a star driven business', right? As you would expect when you hand out trophies every week, the fact that so few stars, never mind putting their name as name plaintiffs..." Jon Wertheim said Andy Roddick's podcast (from 38:10 onwards). "...The fact that the guy who co-founded the organization that has lodged this suit does not feel comfortable putting his name on the lawsuit, that's problematic."

"But when the other side of the table, when management, when the tournaments, when the defendants in this suit realize how few top players are voicing support. I think that's problematic. And I think the other thing is, it's easy to complain, right? It's easy to have gripes, it's easy to be a disgruntled employee. What is the alternative?" he added.

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Christopher Eubanks gives thoughts on Novak Djokovic-led PTPA's lawsuit potentially having merit

Novak Djokovic plays a backhand at Miami Open 2025 | Image Source: Getty

Eubanks, meanwhile, maintained that while he was yet to discuss PTPA's lawsuit against tennis' biggest organizations with his peers, he did feel that it has the potential to "change the structure" of the pro tours provided the claims in the filing are proved to be valid.

"I've kind of thought a little bit about it myself From my standpoint, I think that there's, if the lawsuit is successful, I think it results in one of two things. I think it changes the current structure of how decisions are made," Christopher Eubanks said on Andy Roddick's podcast (39:45).

Novak Djokovic co-founded the Professional Tennis Players Association (PTPA) in 2020 along with former World No. 25 Vasek Pospisil. Amidst the controversy, the Serb has continued his return to form at the 2025 Miami Open with a fourth-round clash against Lorenzo Musetti awaiting him later on Tuesday (March 25).