The tennis world was left stunned when the PTPA, led by Novak Djokovic, initiated legal action against tennis’s top regulatory organizations: the ATP, WTA, International Tennis Federation (ITF), and International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA). Amid this development, Carlos Alcaraz, ranked No. 3 globally, shared his reaction to the lawsuit and clarified his position.
Speaking to the press ahead of the Miami Open, the young Spanish star admitted he was caught off guard, as he only learned about the lawsuit through social media. “Honestly, it was surprising for me, because nobody told me (anything) about it,” Alcaraz said. “So I just saw it on social media”.
He went on to explain that statements he made in the past were used in the lawsuit without his knowledge or consent. “I saw that there were some statements that they put something that I said in (a) press conference, which I didn’t know,” he continued. “I don’t support that letter. I don’t support that, because, as I said, I didn’t know anything about it”.
While Alcaraz agreed with certain aspects of the lawsuit, he distanced himself from the PTPA’s decision to take legal action. “There are some things that I agree (with). There are some other things that I (don’t) agree with,” Alcaraz added. “But the main thing here is that I am not supporting that. So that’s it”.
Carlos Alcaraz of Spain celebrates a point against Jack Draper of Great Britain in their Semifinal round match during the BNP Paribas Open at Indian Wells. (Clive Brunskill/Getty Images)
Alcaraz quotes used without consent in PTPA lawsuit
Several players, including Alcaraz, were reportedly cited in the PTPA lawsuit without prior knowledge. The Spaniard’s comments from September 2024 regarding the crowded tennis calendar were referenced in the legal filing.
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In one section addressing the demanding schedule, the PTPA’s lawsuit states: “Carlos Alcaraz criticized the Tours’ schedule, saying the Governing Body Defendants ‘are going to kill (players) in some way’”.
This citation originated from a statement Alcaraz made at the 2024 Laver Cup, where he expressed concerns about the increasing number of mandatory tournaments.
“A lot of players (want) to play more — or even more. A lot of players feel like, OK, it is a good calendar. And a lot of players (say) that it’s really tight and a lot of tournaments during the whole year,” Alcaraz said at the time. “I’m the kind of player who (thinks) there is a lot of tournaments during the year, mandatory tournaments, and probably during the next few years, gonna be even more tournaments, more mandatory tournaments. So, I mean, probably they are going to kill us in some way”.
ATP fires back against Djokovic’s PTPA lawsuit
The ATP issued a strong response to the lawsuit, rejecting the claims and questioning the merit of the case. “We strongly reject the premise of the PTPA’s claims, believe the case to be entirely without merit, and will vigorously defend our position,” the organization stated in a press release.
The ATP further emphasized its commitment to the sport’s growth and stability, concluding, “ATP remains committed to working in the best interests of the game – towards continued growth, financial stability, and the best possible future for our players, tournaments, and fans”.
