The world of tennis could be about to change forever, thanks to action taken by the PTPA.
News broke recently that the Professional Tennis Players Association [PTPA] launched a claim against the tennis tours in search of change.
The PTPA is hoping to see structural changes within the sport’s governing bodies, better prize money distribution, and several other amendments to the way tennis is currently run.
Former Wimbledon finalist Nick Kyrgios is the biggest name publicly supporting the move, as he expressed his joy when the news broke last month.
“This will be a special moment in tennis, for sure,” he said in an interview with Sky Sports.
“Things needed to change, it’s a big day for tennis.
Another former top 30 player has spoken openly about the changes he wants to see in tennis and has now revealed the ‘non-negotiables’ he thinks every professional player agrees with.
Vasek Pospisil outlines the three ‘non-negotiables’ for the PTPA in discussions with the tennis tours
During an interview with The Slice Tennis, PTPA co-founder Vasek Pospisil outlined the three non-negotiables his organisation will stick to in discussions with the tennis tours.
1) Re-structuring of tennis
“There are certain non-negotiables that we have,” said Pospisil.
“That is that tennis needs to be restructured, there needs to be a players association.
“Players need to be independent and be able to bargain and negotiate and have professionals that truly represent them, not the illusion of representation that is currently in place.”
2) Changes to prize money distribution
“The other is prize money being tied to a percentage of gross revenue, not a prize money formula that you can be very creative to suppress player prize money, which is what is happening currently,” he said.
“Just make it very simple, tied to gross revenue. Why not?
“That is a very simple thing. We have our expenses we have, tournaments will have their expenses.
“I’m not saying it has to be 50% or 40% or 30% or 80%.
“I am just saying that is the formula which has to be in place and then you get the two sides who come to the table and decide what is fair and right.
“You can make your arguments one side why tennis is different and why it needs to be different to other sports, we can make our arguments.
“Then you come to the middle and you compromise and that’s the deal.”
3) Changes to scheduling and player welfare
“Then, of course, schedule and player welfare, we do not have a say in any of this stuff,” said Pospisil.
“We can speak and go on microphone and yell and do all this stuff, but we have no ability to affect change.
“It’s really in their hands if they decide they want to do it or not.
“If they don’t they can be like it’s not in our interest and say no and give us some bogus reasons.
“It’s not okay to play matches until 3am and have to play the next day.
“It’s not okay that the season goes from beginning of January or the very end of December, all the way until November.
“It’s crazy we have a one month off season.
“That is just not okay.”
Pospisil believes every professional player agrees with him about the issues with tennis scheduling.
“No player wants to do that so the core of the issue is that we just don’t have [a say],” he said.
“If no player in the world or no player on tour wants to play 11 months of the year then clearly players have no say in how the sport is operated.
“I can tell you not a single player would want that.
“Everyone would be jumping up and down if they told them we have a nine month season or even a ten month season.
“To have an extra month, players would be like, that’s incredible.”
How long was the ATP Tour off-season between 2024 and 2025?
Italy won the Davis Cup on November 24, bringing an end to the 2024 tennis season for the stars of the ATP Tour.
The United Cup, Hong Kong Open, and Brisbane International began on December 30, as the 2025 season kicked off just 36 days later.
The break between the 2025 and 2026 ATP seasons will be slightly longer, at 40 days, although that likely won’t ease the concerns of Pospisil and the PTPA.
It remains to be seen what the outcome of this case will be, but it will certainly be something to keep an eye on as the 2025 season progresses.
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