The world of tennis was hit with some more shocking news recently as the Professional Tennis Players Assosciation launched a monumental claim.
In a year full of surprises, tennis fans were hit with one more as the Professional Tennis Players Assosciation [PTPA] filed a lawsuit against the ATP Tour.
Controversial star Nick Kyrgios was the highest-profile player to attach his name to the claim, as he and others search for greater transparency from the tennis authorities.
As fans and players question what the outcome of the claim will be, one American ATP star took the time to share his thoughts.
Chris Eubanks outlines the two potential outcomes of the PTPA claim against the ATP Tour
Appearing as a guest on the Served with Andy Roddick podcast, Chris Eubanks outlined the two potential outcomes of the lawsuit.
Option 1 – ATP Restructure
“Right now, they talk about in the lawsuit there are four board seats for tournaments, four seats for players and any ties that come up that get voted for go to the ATP CEO Andrea Gaudenzi,” said Eubanks.
“From their side they say that Gaudenzi consistently sides with the tournaments over the players.
“From what I was told from someone at the PTPA, I don’t know how true it is, but what they said was in order to get small things passed, you had to get a minority, to get big things passed you had to get a super majority.
“I think players are frustrated that the current structure doesn’t allow them to have a voice, especially when the ATP and the tournaments are in cahoots together.
“I think a restructuring of how decisions are made in the ATP is one option.”
Option 2 – New break-away tour
“The other option, which they kept kind of leading to, but I don’t know if there is a market for it, is another tour,” said Eubanks.
“We have seen how golf did it, for a while, LIV Golfers were not allowed to compete at certain Majors but ended up changing their minds.”
The former Wimbledon quarter-finalist went on to explain how a break-away tour could work in tennis.
“Maybe there is another tour which still allows acceptance into the four Majors from both tours,” said Eubanks.
“Maybe there are 75 players into the Majors [from the ATP Tour] and 25 from an alternative tour.
“Maybe that’s how they balance it out so that players can still compete for the biggest titles in the world.
“Maybe this other tour has their own version of Masters 1000, I don’t know, that is the only thing I can wrap my mind around with what kind of structural change they can ask for.”
Eubanks then revealed he’d asked someone in the PTPA if they were hoping for a ‘financial pay-out’, something they denied.
“They said no, we are not asking for a financial pay-out,” he said.
“I said what are the other options.
“They said clear structural change.”
Jon Wertheim is worried about what could happen to tennis following PTPA lawsuit
Responding to Eubanks’ comments, Jon Wertheim gave his honest opinion on the PTPA claim, as he suggested what could happen to the sport in the future.
“If you read the lawsuit, it’s all about letting the free market do their thing and all these restrictions on trade and monopolistic practices,” he said.
“You know what happens if the free market does its thing?
“The tournaments say I don’t want doubles.
“I don’t want a 96 draw, I want an eight draw.
“I want to pay Carlos Alcaraz $2 million this week to play three round robin matches.
“If we are going to go free market that goes on both sides of the net here and I think tennis could look fundamentally different and not bigger.”
Only time will tell how tennis will look as a result of the PTPA’s claim, as the biggest names in tennis continue to give their thoughts.
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