Federer, Nadal object to Djokovic proposal for player union

Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal and or members of ATP Player Council spoke out Saturday against a plan put forth by top-ranked vak Djokovic and Vasek Pospisil to start a union of sorts for men’s tennis -- bringing sport’s politics into spotlight just before U.S. Open.

Also against proposal: ATP men’s tour and sport’s or governing bodies, including WTA women’s tour and four Grand Slam tournaments. y issued a joint statement Saturday saying: “It is a time for even greater collaboration, t division.”

Djokovic and Pospisil are seeking support for formation of what y’re calling Professional Tennis Players Association; y would be co-presidents. y said in an email to players PTPA is needed to “promote, protect and represent interests of its players ... and protect future of tennis.”

Unlike athletes in major rth American team sports, tennis players never have had a union to represent m and collectively bargain with ownership about revenue sharing and or matters. Each tennis player is an independent contractor.

“We are t calling for boycotts. We are t forming parallel tours,” Djokovic said after winning Western & Sourn Open on Saturday, two days before play begins at U.S. Open.

“Of course I would love to have Roger and Rafa on board. Of course I would love to have all players on board. But I understand,” Djokovic said. “I truly understand that some of m have different opinions and y don’t think time is right.”

Djokovic has been president, and Pospisil a member, of ATP Player Council but both are resigning, as is John Isner.

Andy Murray said Saturday he wants to give current ATP leadership -- former player Andrea Gaudenzi took over as CEO in January -- more time to work. Murray also does t like that PTPA would be for male players only; re was talk earlier this year about possibility of merging ATP and WTA.

Having a group representing men and women would send “a much more powerful mess,” Murray said.

Federer and Nadal joined player council representatives Kevin Anderson, Jurgen Melzer, Sam Querrey and Bru Soares in sending a te to players raising questions about proposal and saying y’re against it.

“ world is living a difficult and complicated situation. I personally believe se are times to be calm and work all of us toger in same direction. It is time for unity, t for separation,” Nadal tweeted . “se are moments where big things can be achieved as long as world of tennis is united. We all, players, tournaments and governing bodies have to work toger. We have a bigger problem and separation and disunion is definitely t solution.”

Federer quote-tweeted his on-court rival to say he agrees and added: “se are uncertain and challenging times, but I believe it’s critical for us to stand united as players, and as a sport, to pave best way forward.”

Im credits: AP