Carlos Alcaraz Distances Himself from PTPA Lawsuit Against Tennis Governing Bodies
Carlos Alcaraz has made it clear that he does not support the class-action lawsuit filed in U.S. federal court by the Professional Tennis Players Association (PTPA)—the organization co-founded by Novak Djokovic and Vasek Pospisil.
Speaking ahead of the Miami Open, where he is seeded second, Alcaraz expressed surprise at the lawsuit and distanced himself from the legal action against tennis’ governing bodies, including the ATP, WTA, ITF, and ITIA.
“There are some things that I agree with. There are some other things that I don’t,” Alcaraz said. “But the main thing here is that I am not supporting that. So that’s it.”
Alcaraz Caught Off Guard by Lawsuit, Unaware of His Inclusion
The PTPA, which claims to represent over 250 players, filed lawsuits in New York, Brussels, and London, accusing the organizations of operating as a “cartel” and restricting player earnings and opportunities.
Alcaraz, however, admitted that he only learned about the lawsuit through social media and was surprised to find his name quoted in the 150-page filing.
“Honestly, it was surprising for me, because nobody told me anything about it,” he admitted.
On page 71 of the legal document, Alcaraz’s past comments about the demanding tour schedule are cited alongside statements from Coco Gauff and Iga Swiatek. His quote—taken from a Laver Cup press conference last September—criticized the number of tournaments on the calendar.
“I’m the kind of player who thinks there are a lot of tournaments during the year, mandatory tournaments, and probably in the next few years, there are going to be even more,” Alcaraz said at the time. “So, I mean, probably they are going to kill us in some way.”
The lawsuit uses this remark to support its argument about player workload and scheduling issues, though the original transcript notes that Alcaraz was smiling as he made the statement.
PTPA Lawsuit Accuses Governing Bodies of Restricting Players
The PTPA’s lawsuit includes several major allegations against tennis’ governing bodies, claiming they:
- Cap tournament prize money, limiting players’ earnings.
- Suppress competition by blocking alternative tours and events.
- Enforce a restrictive ranking system, controlling player participation.
- Use excessive measures through the International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA), which the suit describes as “arbitrary and selective” in its decisions.
While Alcaraz acknowledges the challenges of the tour schedule, he has publicly distanced himself from the PTPA lawsuit, reinforcing that he was not consulted before his name was used in the legal filing.
