Zverev Says Tennis Players Can Still Work with ATP Despite PTPA Lawsuit

Alexander Zverev has said he still believes tennis players can work with the ATP Tour to fix important problems, even after the PTPA filed a major lawsuit.

On Tuesday, the Professional Tennis Players Association (PTPA) announced it is taking legal action against the ATP, WTA, International Tennis Federation, and the International Tennis Integrity Agency.

The PTPA claims these organisations run a corrupt system that “abuses, silences, and exploits players” through many “illegal” actions.

Some of the biggest issues in the case include how tournament money is shared with players, the tough and “unsustainable” tennis calendar, and concerns about players’ privacy.

Twelve players from the ATP and WTA are named in the lawsuit. But the PTPA says it speaks for about 300 players in total.

Zverev, who is world No. 2 and part of the ATP Player Council, is in a good position to talk about these issues.

Speaking in Miami, the three-time Grand Slam finalist said he agrees with some of the complaints made in the lawsuit. But the 27-year-old also believes players can still work together with the ATP to make things better.

He said, “In the last 15 to 20 years, the ATP has become more like a business. Sometimes it feels like tournaments are seen as more important than players. I don’t think that’s right.

“Players’ health should always come first. We should make sure players have long careers. There are still things we can improve.

“That’s why I’m on the player council. The lawsuit talks about things we’ve also discussed. Scheduling is one of them. Longer tournaments are another.

“I really believe we can move things forward with the ATP and the leaders who make decisions about where the tour is going. We’ve been talking about this for a long time.

“It’s a slow process. Some things could happen faster, but I still believe we should work with the ATP to fix these problems.”

On the same day Zverev spoke, it was reported that the PTPA is asking a court to stop the ATP from pressuring players. The PTPA says the ATP tried to make players sign a prepared statement saying they didn’t know about the lawsuit before it was filed.

Zverev started his Miami Open with a solid win, beating Jacob Fearnley 6-2, 6-4 in the second round on Saturday. It was an important victory for the German after his defeat in the Australian Open final and an early exit in Indian Wells two weeks ago.

Zverev will play Jordan Thompson in the third round on Monday.