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Valloni / News  / THE PROFESSIONAL TENNIS PLAYERS’ ASSOCIATION COMPLAINT TO THE UNITED KINGDOM COMPETTION AND MARKETS AUTHORITY
5 Dezember 2025

THE PROFESSIONAL TENNIS PLAYERS’ ASSOCIATION COMPLAINT TO THE UNITED KINGDOM COMPETTION AND MARKETS AUTHORITY

The Professional Tennis Players Association (PTPA), a not-for-profit association of male and female tennis players, which was founded by Vasek Pospisil and Novak Djokovic and represents male and female singles players in the top 500 and doubles players in the top 200 of the Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP) and the Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) rankings, filed a complaint, in March 2025, against the governing bodies of professional tennis, including the ATP, WTA, and ITF (International Tennis Federation), to the UK Competition and Markets Authority (CMA).

The complaint alleges that, contrary to Chapters 1 and 2 of the United Kingdom (UK) Competition Act 1998, these governing bodies are:

  • Unlawfully restricting players‘ earnings and endorsement opportunities;
  • Designing a governance system to exclude rival events and tournaments; and
  • Disregarding players’ welfare.

The PTPA requested the CMA, which is the principal competition regulator in the UK, to investigate fully these claims.

In parallel with the CMA complaint, the PTPA also filed legal actions in the European Union (EU) and the United States, based on the same grounds.

At the present time, these investigations by the CMA are ongoing and it is not clear when they will be completed and a ruling issued. Much depends upon the nature and complexity of the case and the cooperation of the parties involved.

If the CMA finds that UK competition law has been breached, it can impose penalties, including fines up to 10% of the global turnover of the offending parties, and issue directions to them to take or stop certain actions, without first going to court.

For example, in 2023, the ITF generated an annual revenue of US$102.6 million (around Sw. Frs.82.1 million). So, financially speaking, there seems to be much at stake.

We act in sports competition legal cases in the UK and the EU, and further information is available from our International Sports Law Consultant, Prof Dr Ian Blackshaw, by emailing him at blackshaw@valloni.ch.

 

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