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Novak Djokovic is the most powerful voice in world tennis at this moment and he has vowed to use that influence to force change at the top of the game.
The world No 1 has never been afraid to voice his opinions on the most contentious topics, with his stance on the Covid-19 vaccine and the consequence that he was not allowed to compete in high-profile tournaments for almost two years evidence that he is a man who will stand up for what he believes in.
Now Djokovic has issued a fresh verbal jab to ATP Tour chiefs and as one of the leaders of the Professional Tennis Players Association (PTPA), the 24-time Grand Slam great has insisted players deserve a bigger say in decisions that affect them.
In an outspoken interview appearing in sportal.rs, he insisted tennis chiefs should not be allowed to control the destiny of the game and believes players need to have a bigger voice.
“There is currently a monopoly in tennis, as well as in other major global sports at that level, but I can only speak when it comes to tennis,” he stated.
“Many media, also, who are in tennis choose not to write about this topic because it is not in the interest of those who pay them.
“It’s a vicious game and a vicious circle, but as long as I have a voice to be heard, I will use it.”
Djokovic went on to suggest pressure applied by himself and those involved in the PTPA, forced the ATP Tour to address the issue of wages for players at the lower level of the game.
In August, the ATP announced Baseline, a transformative financial security programme for ATP players set to launch in 2024 as part of a three-year trial.
The scheme includes Guaranteed Base Earnings, which guarantees minimum income levels for the Top 250-ranked singles players each season.
In case a player’s prize money earnings finish below the guaranteed threshold, the ATP will step in to cover the shortfall. For the 2024 season, these levels are $300,000 (Top 100), $150,000 (101-175) and $75,000 (176-250). This assurance will empower players to plan their seasons with greater certainty, focus on their game and invest in their teams.
This includes covering the expenses of coaches and personal physios, as well as travel.
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This is the kind of financial assistance Djokovic has been campaigning for over the last few years and he believes it was only introduced to the pressure applied by high-profile voices like his own.
“At the PTPA, we have already managed to say, indirectly as well as directly, to force the ATP to reconsider some decisions,” he added.
“Directly a little less because they don’t allow us to enter the system and be part of the decision-making table, to have direct participation in the system, but indirectly we solved many things in a positive way and provoked.
“Here is the latter, where the ATP has increased the sums of money for players who are injured and absent from the Tour. They are now guaranteed a certain amount of money. They took that step forward, which I welcome, of course.
“Is that step enough? It’s not, but I welcome it and I’m almost sure they did it because the PTPA and all the players support these initiatives and constantly communicate on that topic, they say how important it is to address it in the right way and to talk about things that are, as you might call it, taboo the theme.
“We constantly talk about how much a Grand Slam champion or number one in the world earns, and we don’t talk about how many players can make a living from the sport they play. It’s a switch of theses, and I’ll just continue to point out some things that are obvious and present that they don’t want to address.”
Djokovic is the biggest name in tennis and when he speaks, everyone in the game tends to listen.
He has always been a passionate campaigner for causes he believes in, so the ATP will know their biggest star could also be their most vocal problem in the coming years.
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