“I don’t support that”: Clear words from Alcaraz

Four-time Grand Slam winner Carlos Alcaraz has expressed his opposition to the lawsuits filed by the tennis players' union PTPA, which included co-founder Novak Djokovic.

March 20, 2025

From: dpa/det

"There are some things I agree with. And there are other things I disagree with," the Spaniard said on the sidelines of the Masters tournament in Miami. "But crucially, I don't support this."

The union accuses the professional organizations ATP and WTA, as well as the world tennis federation ITF, of forming a "cartel" and a "corrupt, illegal, and abusive system." Therefore, lawsuits have been filed with more than a dozen tennis professionals in the United States, the United Kingdom, and the European Union.

Alcaraz has won four Grand Slam tournaments. © ANSA / JOHN G. MABANGLO

The complaints center around, among other things, the high workload for professionals, an overly long season, and agreements to prevent competitions between tournaments. Furthermore, a restrictive ranking system makes it difficult for players to participate in alternative events.

Djokovic is not named in the PTPA's statement regarding the lawsuits. However, the Grand Slam record champion sits on the union's executive committee and supports the cause, according to a PTPA spokesperson.

Alcaraz: “Only seen on social media”

Alcaraz stated that he was "surprised" by the events and that no one had told him about them. "I only saw it on social media," the 21-year-old explained. The more than 150-page dossier also quoted Alcaraz himself, referring to a statement the Spaniard made during the Laver Cup last September.

At the time, he said, referring to the increasingly tight schedule: "I'm one of those players who believes there are many tournaments throughout the year, must-play tournaments, and there will probably be more tournaments in the coming years, more must-play tournaments. I mean, they'll probably kill us in some way."

However, the transcript of the press conference at the time suggests that Alcaraz meant this statement more as a joke.

Schlagwörter: Tennis Carlos Alcaraz