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Women To Be Part Of New Players’ Association, Says Djokovic

  Novak Djokovic said Friday that women will be a part of his proposed new players’ association that is sending shockwaves through world tennis. Advertisement … Continue reading Women To Be Part Of New Players’ Association, Says Djokovic


Novak Djokovic of Serbia gestures while playing Roberto Bautista Agut of Spain in their semi-final match during the Western & Southern Open at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center on August 28, 2020 in the Queens borough of New York City. Matthew Stockman/Getty Images/AFP
Novak Djokovic of Serbia gestures while playing Roberto Bautista Agut of Spain in their semi-final match during the Western & Southern Open at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center on August 28, 2020, in the Queens borough of New York City. Matthew Stockman/Getty Images/AFP

 

Novak Djokovic said Friday that women will be a part of his proposed new players’ association that is sending shockwaves through world tennis.

The world number one said he had been talking to female players at the US Open this week to try to get them on board.

“There’s been a lot of talk about this being an only men’s association and it’s not true,” Djokovic told reporters following his 6-3, 6-3, 6-1 third-round win over Germany’s Jan-Lennard Struff.

He said he hoped women would join the controversial new union “in big numbers.”

The Serbian added that he had spoken to Serena Williams and Sloane Stephens about the project.

Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal spoke out against the proposal when it was announced at the weekend. They called for “unity, not separation.”

Djokovic says the new association is intended to bring players together to give them a louder voice in decision-making.

He insists it would not form a rival tour to the ATP or WTA, or seek to boycott tournaments.

The 17-time Grand Slam winner added that he was “happy” to have received 150 signatures supporting the union.

He added, though, that he had been “unpleasantly surprised” by the reaction of some players.

AFP