Nick Kyrgios has described the PTA's lawsuit against the sport's governing bodies as a “special moment”.
The outspoken Australian is one of 12 active and former players named as plaintiffs in the US lawsuit, along with the organisation founded by Novak Djokovic and Vasek Pospisil four years ago.
While Djokovic is not named, his role as a key figure in the PTPA lends significance to the lawsuit against the ATP, WTA, International Tennis Federation and the International Tennis Integrity Authority, which could spark internal conflicts within the sport.
The PTPA's complaints include stifling competition among tournaments, which it says reduces prize pools, an overly strict ranking points system, an inefficient schedule, and financial exploitation of athletes.
There have also been accusations that governing bodies are ignoring player welfare by forcing athletes to compete late at night and in extreme heat, while anti-doping measures are seen as invading privacy.
Kyrgios believes the change is long overdue, telling Sky Sports: “I've had the feeling that people have been aware for a long time that there's something weird going on behind the scenes.
“Me, Pospisil, Djokovic – we all wanted to do something like this for the future of tennis. I know that I and many other players are unhappy with the current structures and events in tennis. This will be a really special moment in tennis, that's for sure. Changes are needed.
“The original purpose of the PTPA was to make sure that the players' opinions were heard. I feel like we're just not being heard. The ATP has too much power and they don't have to answer to anyone.
“This is where things need to change, they will have to show how things work, and then people will really understand that a lot has been done wrong in recent years.”
The ATP and WTA responded strongly to the PTPA's statement and promised to “vigorously defend themselves.”
The ATP accused the PTPA of choosing “division and distraction through misinformation over progress,” while the WTA called the lawsuit “sad and wrong.”
Sourse: breakingnews.ie
